REPORT: US Prepared to Launch Preemptive Strike if North Korea Insists on Nuclear Weapons Test

North Korea Threatens to Strike First

U.S. military forces are prepared to launch a preemptive strike if North Korea continues to escalate its nuclear weapons testing. Citing multiple senior U.S. intelligence officials, NBC News reports two American military destroyers have been positioned in range to hit the region with Tomahawk missiles. Earlier this week North Korea told reporters to prepare for a major event on Thursday, although reports now suggest a major nuclear weapons test could take place around Saturday.

“The U.S. is prepared to launch a preemptive strike with conventional weapons against North Korea should officials become convinced that North Korea is about to follow through with a nuclear weapons test,” NBC News reports. 

“On Wednesday, North Korea said it would ‘hit the U.S. first‘ with a nuclear weapon should there be any signs of U.S. strikes,” NBC News notes. “On Thursday, North Korea warned of a ‘merciless retaliatory strike’ should the U.S. take any action.”

The intelligence officials told NBC News that the U.S. has positioned two destroyers capable of shooting Tomahawk cruise missiles in the region, one just 300 miles from the North Korean nuclear test site. 

American heavy bombers are also positioned in Guam to attack North Korea should it be necessary, and earlier this week, the Pentagon announced that the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier [photo] strike group was being diverted to the area.

Earlier Thursday, President Donald Trump told reporters, “North Korea is a problem. The problem will be taken care of.”

“By relentlessly bringing in a number of strategic nuclear assets to the Korean peninsula, the US is gravely threatening the peace and safety and driving the situation to the brink of a nuclear war,” North Korea said in a statement.

It was little more than a week ago that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson issued a cryptic message in response to North Korea firing a missile into the Sea of Japan, that had many Americans concerned. 

“The clock has now run out and all options are on the table,” a senior White House official had announced, before the missile test.

Barely two hours after the White House statement, Tillerson responded to North Korea’s test, saying in a State Dept. statement: “North Korea launched yet another intermediate range ballistic missile. The United States has spoken enough about North Korea. We have no further comment.”

That left many scratching their head, denouncing his particular brand of diplomacy, or worried.

UPDATE I: 7:26 PM EDT –
President Donald Trump just landed in Florida about 30 minutes ago. He will not be back in the White House until sometime on Sunday. No senior staff are with him this weekend. Given the fact he just dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb ever dropped, on ISIS today, launched 59 Tomahawk missiles into Syria one week ago today, and now if ramping up at the very least strong rhetoric against North Korea, it is, frankly, unconscionable he is away from the White House this weekend. 

Former White House national security staffer for Vice President Joe Biden just posted this tweet:

 

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Image: USS Carl Vinson 
U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Eric Coffer via Wikimedia 

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