What Do We Do with North Korea?

Last week, unhinged and insane nuclear power North Korea successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile that all unanimously agree is capable of hitting Alaska, and might be capable of hitting Hawaii.  While we don't know if they've figured out delivering a nuclear payload in such a flight, it doesn't seem too much of a task.  Likewise, given their missile program progression, it is only a matter of time before they develop a missile capable of hitting the continental US.

For two decades now or so, North Korea has blustered that it will attack the United States with a nuclear attack.  Originally considered by other administrations as bluster aimed at controlling the populace, over the past number of years, it is clear that their actions belie anything but bluster.  They want a nuke that they can launch against us.

Once they have it, would they really use it?  They have told us over and over and over again that they will.  Leadership has also told their people they will.  Once they have it, it sure will appear weak if Kim Jong-un doesn't use it.

The can has been kicked down the road, and we've now reached that end.  So what do we do?

We certainly do not let San Francisco reach 100 million degrees Fahrenheit.  We also can't attack directly, lest the entire North Korean nuclear arsenal be unleashed on the Korean peninsula.  The only answer is to take out Kim Jong-un, and to do it both publically and quickly.  It comes with a massive amount of risk, but by comparison to the other options, appears to have the least amount.

It is a lousy position to be in.  Unfortunately, presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama left this a job to be done by some other president.  It looks like Trump is going to need to be that president.