DISCUSSING N. KOREA MISSILE STANDOFF: Warhawks Support Pre-emptive Attack

Great Public radio discussion of the N. Korea missile standoff. Discussion from the 'On Point' radio program, from June 22nd.

-- More sensible voices say that the situation has been purposely overblown by the White House & the media. The "facts" may not be what they seem.

The problem has been the lack of true U.S. diplomatic engagement. (I agree 110%)

-- However, the pro-war hawks on the program are pushing the reckless and maniacal idea of a pre-emptive U.S. attack against N. Korea in an effort to take out the missile base involved in the potential test. This is apparently the suggestion that guest- Ashton Carter- has made in an Op Ed Commentary and to the Bush administration. Strangely enough, Carter has not been considered a "Hawk" in the past, but on the program he played the role of one.

As if this is not looney enough, the pro-war guest says that a U.S. attack on the N. Korean missile base would not really be an attack. According to Carter, the N. Koreans would not see this pre-emptive strike as an attack, and therefore they would not retaliate against the U.S. or against S. Korea. This has to be one of the craziest, most dangerous ideas that I have heard in quite some time. It seems to be easy for those like Carter, who don't really know the Hell of war first hand, to suggest bringing war upon others.

As scary as it seems, this may be the line of thinking at the White House. Carter may have unwittingly provided a window into the thought process of the pro-war neo con military establishment.

We could be close to a new Korean War, or even a global conflict. Anything is possible with these kinds of looney warhawks responsible for U.S. "diplomacy" (If you can call it that).
Of course this policy is likely to lead to disaster if carried out.

It is as if these people know nothing about the power of the N. Korean conventional military forces, and its artillery in particular. How could they not consider the danger that South Korea and Japan would be in in such a scenario? A better question might be, do these neocons even care about S. Koreans? If I were at a top level in the S. Korean government, I would be raising hell if I became aware that the U.S. was considering such crazy ideas, putting S. Korea in unnecessary danger.

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