Does North Korea’s bark match its bite?

As threats from North Korea continue to emerge, the U.S. and China take action. However, these threats do not pose a danger to the U.S.

As threats from North Korea continue to emerge, the U.S. and China take action. However, these threats do not pose a danger to the U.S.

Mitchell Smith, Staff Writer
April 18, 2017

The United States has kept a strong military presence in South Korea since the Korean War, just in case North Korea wants to try something stupid.

Now, there have been numerous threats of aggression and military action by North Korea against the U.S., specifically through nuclear and missile attacks. However, they have yet to be fulfilled.

North Korea’s missile and nuclear program is in as good of shape as their leader.

Since 2006, there have been only five nuclear tests by the North Koreans, all conducted underground. Their missile program had been exploding, literally. Many of their tests failed within minutes, and the ones that didn’t fail are short range missiles, not anywhere capable of hitting the U.S. and  only posing a threat to South Korea.

Kim Jong-un claimed that there was a successful test of a nuclear missile capable of attack the United States, but U.S. officials claim it was most likely a failure.

The only weapon North Korea has used against the U.S.  have been threats. The only successful weapons tests North Korea has conducted have been short range missiles, fired into the Sea of Japan, 6,274 miles from the west coast of the U.S.

In recent weeks, reports of weapons testing in North Korea have been making headlines. In what may have been a message to the North Korean regime, President Trump ordered a military strike on an airfield in Syria during a meeting with the President of China, a known rival of North Korea.

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The timing of this strike wasn’t a coincidence; it was a show of military might. Only one day before the strike, North Korea successfully fired a ballistic missile that flew only 60 miles before landing in the Sea of Japan.

There are unconfirmed reports of the Chinese Military mobilizing towards towards their southern neighbor. Whether these reports are true or not, China is not the only country taking action.

After reports of a possible sixth nuclear test by the Koreans, President Trump ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and other vessels to the Korean peninsula. This was a clear message to North Korea to stop their nuclear tests.

However, it appears Kim Jong-un didn’t quite understand. He soon threatened a nuclear attack upon the U.S. warships if provoked.

Kim Jong-un is as delusional as he is stupid. If by some miracle he acquires the necessary weapons, and he makes the fatal decision to attack the U.S., he will have the full force of the U.S. military retaliating against him, along with the help of Chinese forces, and probably South Korea as well. If North Korea were to attack, South Korea would be the most likely option, due to its very close position.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has stated that the U.S. is prepared for military action against North Korea, even if it’s by ourselves. Kim Jong-un needs to realize that he can not win a war against the U.S., and unless he wants his country in even more of a disaster, he needs to discontinue his country’s nuclear and missile tests.