You are partially making my point.
NK has literally nothing to lose. If they launch successfully, is that enough to strike back at China?
If Kim says he’s going to launch, do we simply take him at his word and strike first?
If we do, is that enough for China to strike back against us?
No. Big diff between a loose cannon and a nuke strike in your region. China won’t put up with that.
NORKS can’t hurt us yet.if we shoot down every test he can retaliate vs SK or China, but either would be suicidal.
If the NORKS believed China did not have their back there would not continue with the missile and nuke testing. If we launch a conventional attack imo china would not get involved unless we penetrated their border or if the NORKS used nukes or other WMDs. Hopefully not against our fleet as I suspect we would lose most of it and things could escalate further. This has similarities to 1950. We have minimal Intel. We are in Asia where we have been worned to stay out of land wars. We need for China to step up and take this state out. I wonder the cost for this politically and economically verses the military cost and danger.