We the people need our leaders to elevate discussions about options, short of all out war, as the administration navigates our way through the vexing North Korean issue.
There is no hiding that the past three Presidents, Clinton, Bush 43, and Obama each contributed significantly to the current pending disaster. Decades of poorly conceived policy and feckless international conduct have brought us to this point.
There are still a number of presidential tools available for use, ones that don’t seem to have made their way into the public discussion, or I suspect Title 50 of the U.S. Code, which outlines the role of war and national defense in the U.S., options have yet to be presented to the DCI, or to the president. The State department and Pentagon follow the outdated, useless Cold War decision making matrix of gradual escalation, measured or proportional response, etc. These were the cornerstones of our success during the Cold War. We have used this same matrix since 9-11 against al-Qaida, ISIS, dealing with Iran, etc. The failure there has been ongoing for 16 plus years.
It worked with Russia in the Cold War because that country had a rational, well-educated and experienced leadership system. Russia was a nation with an Orthodox Christian belief system and basis of decision making.
North Korea does not believe, think or act in a moral, faith based, or rational way. Therefore a response matrix based on those precepts applied against North Korea has not worked, nor will it. We, as a nation, continue to do the same thing, over and over again, expecting different results.
First, its very important the administration deliver an Oval Office address, opne explaining the North Korean issue and why that country poses an existential threat to the U.S., as well to the safety of individual Americans in Hawaii, Alaska, and the west coast.
The last missile test is a new milestone and technical development, and changes the national security calculus. The American people need to be braced on this issue with a dose of reality. Make no mistake, if conventional conflict breaks out on the Korean peninsula the war will be a heinous affair — the casualties will be horrific. The resultant images will shock the globe. Unless one has visited or lived in Korea, its hard for people to grasp how fast and how brutally conventional war will impact one of the largest and most crowded metropolitan cities in the world.
The Oval Office address should explain our mutual defense treaties with our historic Asian allies and why we stand together on this issue. An Oval Office address will make China, Russia and North Korea pay attention, and lay the groundwork for the administration to exercise, without any public warning, a much more robust set of tools and actions to demonstrate our intention to fatally squeeze if necessary, and punish North Korean conduct, change their strategic direction and create chaos inside North Korea and the China border area in the process.
Kim Jong Un's country will push until we mark the red line, and put the country in a vise.
These signals are essential to create the conditions inside North Korea and China for both countries leadership groups to understand and react to the new sanctions, actions and intent of the United States.
In a phrase, if we expect to change their perception of events and the costs to them of continued pursuit of the missile and nuclear capacity, we must do something to trigger just that type of reevaluation on their part.
Perception management and covert influence efforts have yet to be effectively exercised.
I really believe the president has not been briefed on any Title 50 specific covert actions, sabotage, direct actions, or deception options for North Korea. The hermit nation continues to test and launch missiles because they can. They know there is no penalty for doing so. This must change.
Following the Oval address, the president can order a "quarantine" of North Korea. No ships, aircraft, banking, money, or food. Sanction and freeze any wire transfer of any and all companies that are doing business with North Korea — in any sector. Focus these efforts on both Iran and North Korea. Paint them into the same frame.
We should tie Iran at the hip to the hermit nation. Iran, flush with cash and resources given to them by Obama, no longer has to risk testing its own missiles and pursuit of their nuclear research and development programs. They can pay Kim Jong Un's country to do so. There are Iranian missile and nuclear technicians are present at every launch from North Korea.
The U.S. could shoot the next missile test down before that missile leaves North Korean airspace. If that were to occur, the U.S. could immediately release a statement that we struck the missile because our information on telemetry and targeting from inside North Korea indicated the missile was programmed to strike a land-based target. This will create an immediate security witch hunt inside North Korea's system. The president can take actions under Title 50 which would sow hate, distrust, and fear inside North Korea's military and leadership circle.
We should signal North and China, of our preparations for all out war on the peninsula. Moving carrier battle groups to the theater was the first step. There should be more signals. Flood North Korea with information via every outlet we have to communicate with the population. Tell the North Korean people what their dear leader is doing. We could, as has been done before, change the profile of the alert fighter aircraft on the carriers in theater and the fleet working to defend the carrier.
Example of proactive deception operations. In the last meeting between Secretary James A. Baker, III and Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz before Desert Storm in 1990-91, we wanted to ensure Saddam understood if he used chemical, bio, or nuclear weapons, the response from the U.S. would erase the culture, people, and nation of Iraq.
Because Aziz was the only Christian in Saddam’s inner circle, Baker used a Biblical reference in the final discussions. That statement, was tied to a move on a carrier deck where we placed the alert fighters on the catapults, and loaded nuclear munitions on the wings. The signature of this event was deliberately exposed and the Russians picked up on it. They flashed this information to Saddam in Baghdad, and told Saddam if he used "special munitions" the U.S. would use nuclear weapons immediately. The effort worked, producing the desired results. Saddam pulled his chemical weapons off the front lines in a tremendous hurry, never employing them in the war.
Armstrong Williams is the author of "Reawakening Virtues." He is a political commentator who writes a conservative newspaper column, hosts a nationally syndicated TV program called "The Right Side," and hosts a daily radio show on Sirius/XM Power 128 (6-7 p.m. and 5-6 a.m.) Monday through Friday. He also is owner of Howard Stirk Holdings Broadcast TV stations. Read more reports from Armstrong Williams — Click Here Now.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.