Trump should attack in North-Korea, but only if he knows there will not be a retaliation, warns IDF former Intelligence Chief.
BY MAARIV ONLINE SEPTEMBER 3, 2017
United States President Donald Trump “should attack North Korea preemptively,” Former IDF intelligence chief Amos Yadlin said in an interview on Israeli radio on Sunday.
Yadlin added that Trump “needs excellent military intelligence” to carry out a preemptive strike as “the counter strike might reach South Korea and Japan.”
“The question is if the US has the military intelligence that will enable it to destroy North Korean nuclear capacities in a preemptive strike,” said Yadlin. “The entire topic of a military strike is complex. If after an [American] attack a missile will be launched against him [Trump] then the attack makes no sense.”
Yadlin, now the head of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), went on to compare the realities of Iran and North Korea, warning that they are very different.
“Unlike the situation in Iran in which Saudi Arabia and Israel encourage the US to act, South Korea and Japan understand the price a preemptive strike might cost them so they caution the US to show restraint.”
“The [US] Secretary of Defense [James Mattis] said that a war against North Korea is a type of war that has not been waged in decades,” stressed Yadlin. “He understands the meaning of such a war so he serves as a cautionary element working with a president who says that all options are on the table.”
The reactions to these threats must thus be adjusted accordingly.
“Iran is 20 years behind North-Korea,” he said. “The issue of Iranian nuclear capacities will be relevant towards the end date of the nuclear agreement which will enable it to gain nuclear capacities in a short span of time.”
Yadlin claimed Israel has top-notch military intelligence regarding Syria and wide ranging capabilities to deal with the threat.
“I think that our begging [attitude] towards the Americans and the Russians to carry out the work we don’t want to do on our own is a little embarrassing,” said Yadlin.
“The state of Israel has capacities and it can draw red lines for itself.”
What war?
I think the US has the situation exactly where it wants it. Actually, China is the really the loser here.
1. If little Kim is seen to have nuclear weapons capable of reaching Japan & S. Korea (actually, it has enough artillery), then both countries must continue to reply on the US.
Both countries will be dependent on the USA which means they will purchase US weapons, will refrain from entering a trade or economic zone with China & will allow US satellites, military & other to be stationed there.
This will help the USA in its war with China.
2. If little Kim has a nuke, China is far more at risk than the USA. The USA is out of range & even if little Kim could fire a weapon at the West Coats, the USA could likely intercept it.
However, China stands to suffer from nuclear mishaps in the region & from nuclear blackmail by little Kim for money & supplies. As such, China continues to have to support little Kim; and
3. If the N. Korean government falls due to war or other, the economic impact to China from refugees, etc. would be very significant as would a confrontation with the USA which would result in a USA victory & take-over of the entire Peninsula.
What China really wants is signing of a Peace Treaty ending the Korean War, an end to US/S. Korean war games & for little Kim to denuclearize.