If true, this would be an extremely significant step for the North Koreans to take. It would automatically ratchet up tensions in an already tense region and could force Japan to go publicly nuclear. It is thought that Japan has the technology and know-how to rapidly produce a nuclear warhead - perhaps in a matter of months. A North Korean nuclear armed missile may force the Japanese to actually construct a nuclear deterrent - something China would almost certainly object to in the strongest terms.
“In short, few things would be worse in East Asia than a nuclear armed North Korea with an ICBM capability.”
“One major caveat: Arms control experts point out that the engineering tolerances and overcoming miniaturization challenges necessary to marry a warhead to an ICBM may be beyond the capability of a third world country like Iran and North Korea - at present. But if a country works long enough and is willing to spend the money, it is likely to succeed. “
Regardless, there doesn’t seem to be any political will in the West to use military force to prevent a nuclear armed North Korea or Iran, no matter how destabilizing that would be….we’ll probably have to wait until one them actually uses a nuke on someone before anyone will be motivated enough to go to war. .
By Epictetus
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