McCaffrey: ‘Zero Likelihood of Us Conducting a Preemptive Conventional Strike’ on N. Korea

EXCERPT:

MCCAFFREY: "Well, you make a good point. We’re not quite sure what this very young, very insecure, murderous Kim Jong-Un gets his information. How does he process it? Does he think that's a real threat? There is a modest uptick in U.S. military power in the region. One carrier strike group, some B-52s on alert. I think there is zero likelihood of us conducting a preemptive conventional strike on North Korean nukes. It would invite a general ground war, an artillery bombardment of the 25 million people in Seoul. The South Koreans will never sign up for it now, nor would the Japanese. So I don’t think it’s going to happen. But -- but it is a tricky situation. You know, 20 years from now, looking back on this, Katy, we may decide that it was a mistake to not have conducted a preemptive strike on North Korean nukes. But for now it’s off the table, in my view."