US considers preemptive strike on DPRK missile program
Over the past year and a half the DPRK has launched an unprecedented number of missiles, which the US has tried to deter by expanding preexisting sanctions against Pyongyang.
On Wednesday, a key expert on the issues of the peninsula told US senators that Washington should now threaten the DPRK with preemptive strikes.
One of the ideas there, and it's a risky one, is declaratory policy; to say that we reserve the right to actually take down a missile if it's headed over Japan, or if it's headed towards Hawaii, or the West Coast of the United States.
And that could be a mid course intercept or it could be on the launch pad.
Victor Cha, Center for Strategic & International Studies
As the US and South Korea have boosted military cooperation and weapons deployment, the DPRK has been developing its advanced capabilities including testing ballistic, cruise, hypersonic and submarine launched missiles. Activists say the threat of preemptive attack will not deter Pyongyang.
The US threat of a preemptive strike against North Korea does not dissuade North Korea from developing nuclear weapons, but rather paradoxically, this has been a factor that further encourages North Korea's nuclear development.
Oh Mi-Jeong, Peaceone.org
Activists suggest that suspending sanctions and negotiating with North Korea is the only way to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula.
While the US seems intent on restraining the DPRK's missile development by any means, it pursues a different policy towards South Korea.
In May 2021, the US agreed to lift all missile restrictions on South Korea, opening the way for Seoul to potentially produce its own long range ICBMs.
The fall of Bashar Assad
Misuse of UK terrorism laws targets pro-Palestine movements
London Downing Street rally for Palestine
VIDEO | Austrians arrested at Gaza protest in Vienna
10 killed in bus crash in western Iran
5 Israeli forces killed as Palestinian fighters face up to regime’s war machine
VIDEO | An insider's view of the country: Persian Tahini, Royan in Mazandaran
VIDEO | Israeli settler killed during strike against Tel Aviv; fresh aggression targets Yemen’s capital
VIDEO | Yemen’s missile strikes on Tel Aviv
Iran to open 6 GW of new power capacity by next summer
VIDEO | South Korean rallies set the stage for battle over Yoon's impeachment
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
