War too costly for nation right now
The past couple of months have seen a lot of big talk from North Korea. This isn’t unusual: The small nation has always had a big mouth and has rarely been reluctant to use it. However, the rhetoric used has become much more specific and charged recently, leading some to believe that a showdown of sorts is imminent. The North Koreans cut their hotline with South Korea and have made threats of nuclear strikes on U.S. soil in the past week. Experts don’t think they have the missile technology to reach much further than Japan, but regardless, the U.S. must tread very carefully in its dealings with North Korea given the possible outcomes of a serious conflict.
Actual war with North Korea should be the very last resort. Nothing short of a direct attack on South Korean or U.S. soil or armed forces should be impetus for an attack on North Korea. We are currently engaged in an (arguably) unwinnable war, which is straining military resources. The cost of another war is just not something our economy is prepared to handle at this point. It is not a stretch to assume that war with North Korea would cost, at the very least, hundreds of billions of dollars that we don’t have to spend. And that doesn’t mention the inevitable human costs of such an involvement.
With that said, Washington also must not back down and acquiesce to Kim Jong Un’s regime. It is important to portray a toughness that will discourage further provocation. However, we must avoid nuclear warfare completely if possible. There is no excuse for inflicting that type of carnage on innocent citizens.