There Is No Longer Any Way to Halt North Korea’s Nuclear Program

Mother Jones ^ | August 4, 2017 | Kevin Drum

[Erik Latranyi]

EMP them and then let the South Korean and Japanese militaries occupy them.

Tell China that the NK border with China will be respected, but any Chinese person or thing that crosses the border will be destroyed by US Navy jets who will create a no)fly zone.

US Special Forces will capture all nuclear sites until SK or Japanese forces arrive to hold them.

[nickcarraway]

It’s even possible that military action could have done it,

No, it was never possible. Because China could not tolerate a foreign power in their backyard. Think of their equivalent of the Monroe Doctrine.

[nickcarraway]

Put a 100% embargo on all Chinese goods

At this point, I wonder if the U.S. could survive that, or it would grind us to a halt.

[depressed in 06]

Chalk another one up to jOkeass.

[rlmorel]

"...I don’t ordinarily do this, but I want to clear up what I said yesterday about North Korea and nukes. This time, I’ll say it in the plainest language possible. Fifteen years ago, it’s possible that diplomacy could have stopped North Korea from developing nuclear weapons. That’s certainly what I thought. It’s also possible that heavy sanctions could have done it. It’s even possible that military action could have done it, though that would have been very risky for reasons that everyone knows about—though here’s a map in case you don’t: None of this is true anymore..."

Well, I guess just helping them build nuclear power plants and handing them nuclear capability is out the door then!

[Red Steel]

Yeah BS. Accurate bombing strikes against production, research, and launch facilities will set them back many years.

[discostu]

There was never a way. They had no interest in diplomacy, sanctions only work on rich countries poor countries don’t even notice, and we ain’t willing to go to war over the issue (which is a lot of why diplomacy wouldn’t work either).

[CivilWarBrewing]

Is there any evidence Iran is helping NK build it's arsenal? Seems to me NK is going frantic right after President Obamadullah gave Iran billions of dollars.

It's not merely weapons that win wars, IT'S THE WILL TO WIN THAT WINS WARS! Trump has the will, but the REST of our government doesn't and the left would LOVE to see mass slaughter of South Koreans so they can forever blame it all on Trump and not Kim Jung-Un.

[Rusty0604]

Kinda like Iran, they never learn.

[nevergore]

Option 3, get China to massively shut down NK’s economy.....

Threaten to give nukes to Japan and South Korea........under their respective controls......

That’s China’s worse fear.....

[SES1066]

Fifteen years ago, it’s possible that diplomacy could have stopped North Korea from developing nuclear weapons.

Interesting choice of timeframe here - 2002 GWB and the War on Terror! How about 2 years earlier in the Clinton Administration, when I remember Madeline Albright hoisting celebratory glasses in Pyongyang? How about the entire 8 years of Clinton when words were followed by 'Humanitarian Relief' that never quite got to the starving but found the NKGovernment only symbolically stopping their nuclear work?

[proust]

An EMP would end it in one second.

[Wonder Warthog]

North Korea develops nuclear weapons and an ICBM. So what. Neither of those will eliminate the ultimate deterrent that is the US's submarine launched nuclear missiles. And NK has NO defense against them. Russian attack submarines "might" take some of them out, but I doubt they will extend themselves for the Norks. China doesn't have the capability.

So....we are back to deterrence. I don't think even the Norks are crazy enough to commit national suicide.

"Islam" is a whole other matter.....they "are" probably crazy enough.

[nevergore]

The real problem was Clinton giving them $5 Billion Dollars as a form of appeasement....

They took the money and laughed all the way.......

Just like Obama and the Iranians....

[SpaceBar]

How big is the footprint of a medium sized hydrogen bomb on your map?

[hal ogen]

There several ways . We just need the commitment to following through .

[2ndDivisionVet]

Japan and the ROK could have nuclear weapons in six months on their own. They are two of the most developed countries in the world.

[grania]

I blame Bush more than Obama

It's a twosome. Obama couldn't have made such a mess of things in eight years if GWB hadn't open the doors and got the ball rolling.

GWB seemed to be lazy when it came to future consequences of present events. JMHO

[2ndDivisionVet]

I don’t think the DPRK has thermonuclear weapons.

[nevergore]

It would take them longer than six months, testing alone takes time....but it would be quick compared to most other countries and they would need our permission based on treaties....