A dangerous choice looms for Trump on North Korea [View all]

[DesertRat]

Trump's National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said last week that the threat of war with North Korea is "increasing every day" -- a stark warning that is raising new questions about whether the administration has a predetermined "red line" for military action after the rogue regime's latest -- and most successful -- intercontinental ballistic missile test to date.

While Trump has been eager to confront North Korean leader Kim Jong Un both verbally and via Twitter, his threats of "fire and fury" have largely been tempered by assurances from top advisers who insist the US remains committed to prioritizing a peaceful resolution to tensions with Pyongyang.

But Trump's provocative rhetoric and suggestions of considering a "preventative war" have raised concerns that he may be more willing to engage in a conflict on the Korean peninsula than past presidents.

One former senior defense official told CNN that Trump could ultimately decide on his own whether or not the US makes the first move.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/08/politics/north-korea-trump-dangerous-choice/index.html