South Korean and US troops are on a heightened state of alert after North Korea announced it was abandoning the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War Photo: AFP From WA Today:
US military power may be of little use for President Barack Obama in confronting a defiant North Korea.
Any strike carries the risk of horrific casualties while the regime's nuclear weapons would likely remain hidden from view.
There are no attractive military options for the United States when it comes to North Korea, experts say, because Pyongyang has massive firepower trained on its neighbour.
The regime can also easily conceal its nuclear weapons as well as other elements of its program.
With an army of more than a million troops and a vast arsenal of artillery and missiles pointed at South Korea as well as Japan, North Korea could exact untold bloodshed for a pre-emptive strike against its nuclear weapons sites.
Casualties would number in the hundreds of thousands, possibly within the first days of a war, experts say.
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My Comment: The U.S. and South Korea are in a defensive position when it comes to the North. They do not have the resources to overwhelmingly strike and invade North Korea .... thereby limiting their options. Surgical strikes are possible, but this will only result in the North doing the same thing.
North Korea is in the same boat also. They do not have the resources to overwhelm secured and strong U.S./South Korean defensive positions. Their casualties will be very high .... and they will be susceptible to concentrated U.S. and South Korean air power. They can also do surgical strikes (i.e. a small naval engagement) .... but this will only result in a significant response from South Korea and U.S. forces.
So .... we are now facing a "Mexican standoff". Both sides are looking at each other .... but they are waiting for the other side to move first.
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