North Korea, US conflict can spark ‘all-out war,’ Gen. Keane says
North Korean state media is criticizing the U.S. after two B-1 bombers buzzed the Korean peninsula Saturday in a show of force following the announcement that North Korea had successfully test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile.
“We are practicing what we would do in reality in terms of bombing positions in North Korea,” said General Jack Keane Monday during an appearance on FOX Business. “It is a reminder that the U.S. has considerable presence in this region.”
Keane say while the U.S. is capable, they would not likely shoot down another North Korean ICBM.
“The concern we have about something like that… it’s likely an option on the table, is that North Korea would likely react that, that was all-out war and therefore react accordingly with bombing South Korea and actually starting an invasion of South Korea,” he said.
While President Trump has said an armed conflict is not out of the question, Keane said the Trump administration would apply “maximum pressure” on China and others to stop conducting business with North Korea.
“What the Trump team has decided to do… is go all out internationally and economically. Approach every country that does business with North Korea. Get them to stop doing that or suffer consequences with the United States,” he said. “They are going to give President Xi [Jingping], as results of meeting at the G20, a little bit more rope here to see if he’s going to come through. If he doesn’t, the United States is going to come hard at China on sanctions going after some of their major banks and other entities that are doing business with North Korea.