Trump Weighs Options on North Korea, Including “Sudden Strike,” to Counteract Provocative Actions


Defense Secretary Jim Mattis released the following statement as the Trump Administration’s initial reaction to the missile failure.

The president and his military team are aware of North Korea’s most recent unsuccessful missile launch. The president has no further comment.”

While the Trump Administration has been relatively tight-lipped about its possible options, knowledgeable sources indicate that one possible action might be a “sudden strike” to counter the North Korean “destabilizing” actions that have its neighbors on high alert.

National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said in interviews yesterday that “all options remain on the table.” He has directed the National Security Council to work with the Defense and State Departments, as well as intelligence agencies to have a full range of options ready for the president’s review.

There’s been speculation that an American cyber-attack caused the North Korean missile to blow up immediately after launch.

China has indicated that it would like to see a resumption of multi-party negotiations to come to a peaceful resolution of the current tensions. The last round of those talks ended in a stalemate in 2009.

To underscore the United States’ commitment to its allies, Vice President Mike Pence has traveled to South Korea to meet with leaders there and emphasize the current thinking of the Trump Administration.

President Trump has made it clear that the patience of the United States and our allies in this region has run out and we want to see change. We want to see North Korea abandon its reckless path of the development of nuclear weapons, and also its continual use and testing of ballistic missiles is unacceptable.”

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group is on its way to the area and expects to reach the east coast of South Korea on April 25. Its presence will ensure that the United States has the air support needed to carry out any strikes, should President Trump decide to pursue “kinetic military action.”

The Carl Vinson heads Carrier Strike Group 1, which is based in San Diego. It consists of the carrier, two guided missile destroyers and a guided missile cruiser. The air wing on the Carl Vinson includes 90 fixed wing and helicopter aircraft.

Both China and Russia have deployed sophisticated spy ships to keep track of the carrier strike group.

Source: Zero Hedge

 



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