President Donald Trump would soon get to know the views of the Pentagon on possible efforts to thwart the designs of North Korea. One of these options is a military strike which will be considered in case Pyongyang goes to the extent of carrying out any underground test of its nuclear or ballistic missile. It can be assumed that, once the country reaches that level, it would have improved its chances of developing a formidable weapon that can strike the United States.
The ever changing scenario
CNN reports that US National Security Adviser HR McMaster has confirmed publicly that necessary plans have been prepared for a military strike because, according to President Donald Trump, if North Korea becomes a nuclear power, it will be a major threat to the United States and its people.
The timing of the decision is significant because President Moon Jae-in of South Korea is visiting Washington to meet President Trump and a new line of thinking on North Korea. The entry of Moon Jae-in has added a new dimension to the situation because there have been reports in the media that he wants a joint team of North and South to participate in international sports events. Moreover, he is uneasy on the deployment of THAAD and the Trump administration would have to review its strategies.
It seems North Korea has reached a stage where it can successfully keep its activities under wraps till the final moment which makes it difficult get any advance warning of an impending attack. One of the tactics they have adopted is to use different sites to launch their missiles and it is next to impossible to forecast which site they will choose.
What is the solution?
Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, has brought forward a very pertinent point. She has warned lawmakers that possibilities of a nuclear weapon attack on the United States mainland cannot be ruled out. The speed at which Kim Jong Un is progressing means it could happen earlier than expected.
Incidentally, all its activities pertaining to launches are monitored regularly to ascertain whether its effectiveness has improved. However, even though a strike plan has been prepared, there is a visible hesitation. If US carries out a preemptive military strike, South Korea would be in danger because North Korea would retaliate by striking back.
It stands to reason that there is no readymade formula at this moment to tackle North Korea, especially when the newly elected leader President Moon Jae-in of South Korea has expressed a desire to mend relations with Pyongyang. President Trump had requested Chinese President Xi Jinping to exert pressure on Kim Jing Un and dissuade him from pursuing his nuclear weapons program. If Pyongyang does go ahead with another underground test, it would mean that the strategy of relying on China needs to be modified.
