There is no good solution with North Korea but if Trump attacks...

[Locut0s]

He's going to be gambling with the lives of everyone in Seoul just across the border in SK. Because that seems to me to be North Korea's most likely response. North Korea is not yet a direct threat to the US, and indeed may never develop the technology to be so. I agree their ICBM tests are very worrisome however the US has also demonstrated the ability to shoot down such missiles, especially with the kind of advanced warning that one would get coming in from such a distance as NK. I'm not saying that nothing should be done. No doubt North Korea is dangerous. But nothing is as dangerous as a cornered animal. If Trump attacks NK my fear is that they will lash out at Seoul, a city with a population of 10 million and a major driver of our modern digital economy. Even putting aside the catastrophic human toll that might result, the effects on the global economy would be terrible.

[Warren DeMontague]

1. That's exactly right. There are no good solutions, just various degrees of bad ones.

And unfortunately the proximity of Seoul to the DMZ is front and center in terms of why.... well, really the whole deal is why we need competent, sane, calm and intelligent leadership in DC.

Sadly we're stuck with the exact opposite, now.

[left-of-center2012]

2. "How North Korea Would Retaliate"

https://worldview.stratfor.com/analysis/how-north-korea-would-retaliate

[Trust Buster]

3. The Orange Nightmare might feel he needs a good war and nationalism to save his ass.

A move right out of Putin's playbook.

[Hoyt]

4. Trump just needs to sit tight. China isn't going to stand for Korea having a long-range nuke.

Besides, since we have the largest nuclear (and other weapon) arsenal in the world, it's hard to blame other countries for wanting the same. We are the only country to have used nukes, and our current leader is just a batcrud crazy as Little Kim.

If Iraq had actually had WMDs, we would not have invaded them. Every country knows that. I wish NKorea weren't pursuing nukes, but I'm not for killing innocent people because they are.

[Massacure]

5. The one thing I never really understood...

The United States theoretically has the ability to shoot down ballistic missiles. Why don't they exercise that ability every time North Korea attempts a missile test? Shooting the missiles down would deny North Korea of data from the later stages of flight. Of course the United States would have to be willing to draw a big red line in the sand about lashing out militarily against the South though.