Attack on North Korea ‘maybe an option’: Retired US General

WASHINGTON: Retired four-star US General Jack Keane while commenting on the recently conducted nuclear missile tests by North Korea, said that bombing its nuclear facility ‘maybe the only viable option now’.

If the United States was facing an imminent attack from from a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) the president of the US would have to act on the issue said Kean while talking to media.

“We’re rapidly and dangerously heading towards the reality that the military option is the only one left when it comes to getting North Korea to denuclearize and not weaponised [intercontinental ballistic missiles],” Keane told the media outlet.

“The Trump administration cannot accept a nuclear launch,” he said. “We cannot rely on our missile-defense system to defeat it and expose the American people to a nuclear attack.”

President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at Mar-a-lago.

Keane, who was Trump’s first choice candidate for the post of secretary of defense, said that the president is more than likely going to “try the diplomatic option to reverse North Korea’s nuclear program.”

“As for the military option, we’re moving there because Beijing, you’ve painted us into a corner. Let’s work together and denuclearise North Korea. I don’t know if they’re going to do that. But we’ll see,” Keane reiterated.

Keane stated that the Obama administration was less aggressive towards NorthKorea but the Trump administration is very aggressive towards the issue.

In an interview with an international media outlet, Trump had said that the US would be ‘totally’ willing to ‘solve’ the nuclear threat from North Korea, with or without China’s assistance.

“China has great influence over North Korea. And China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won’t,” Trump told media in an interview. “If China is not going to solve North Korea, we will.”

Regarding the North Korea issue, US secretary of state, Rex Tillerson has publicly proclaimed that “the clock has now run out and all options are on the table”.

He also issued a short statement on Tuesday after North Korea’s newest missile test, saying “North Korea launched yet another intermediate range ballistic missile. The United States has spoken enough about North Korea. We have no further comment”

Trump spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday about North Korea’s recent missile test, and they both “agreed to stay in close communication to enhance cooperation on North Korea,” according to sources.

Keane said that Kim Jong-un’s rhetoric is particularly dangerous since he is the only leader that publicly states his intentions to nuke the US.

“There’s not another world leader who says he intends to use nukes against the US.We have to take this threat very seriously,” Keane said.