Carafano on North Korea: Trump’s Maximum Pressure Strategy Protects U.S. Interests

EXCERPT:

LINE: "I’m reading a quick line: 'The fact is if North Korea bolts from the negotiations, the U.S. will rely on the maximum pressure campaign to protect U.S. interests -- and that will likely be a significant check on Kim’s blustering.' I mean, do you get that that's the sense of the U.S. is looking at this as well, sort of a blustering, this is what they expect from the North Korean leader at this point in time?"
CARAFANO: "Well, it is consistent with what Kim has done in the past. He’s been pushing and prompting and testing U.S. position for well over a year now so I think on the U.S. side there is no surprise there. But your other point is really invaluable and this is I think many of us who don’t trust the North Koreans at all were more comfortable with the diplomatic approach to begin with because there’s a safety net here. Nuclear deterrence, missile deterrence, missile defense, conventional deterrence, the heavy sanctioning, all of these really keep Kim from building out his arsenal and really either seriously threatening the war in the region or threatening the United States.”