Top general warns US may not see a North Korean attack coming
The commander of US forces in South Korea warned lawmakers Wednesday that the US might not have sufficient intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities on the Korean peninsula to see an attack coming if denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang fall apart, causing hostilities to flare up again.
Posted — Updated"As we look to the future as conditions might change, if they change negatively then our stance, our posture is not adequate to provide us an unblinking eye to give us early warning and indicators," Gen. Robert Abrams, commander of US Forces Korea told the House Armed Services Committee Wednesday.
"Suffice it to say we are short to do that if things start to turn bad," he added.
Abrams also said Wednesday that North Korean activity observed by the US is "inconsistent with denuclearization," making it necessary for the US to "maintain a postured and ready force to deter any possible aggressive actions."
"I remain clear-eyed about the fact that despite a reduction in tensions along the demilitarized zone and a cessation of strategic provocations coupled with public statements of intent to denuclearize. Little to no verifiable change has occurred in North Korea's capabilities," he said.
"Further, North Korea conventional and asymmetric military capabilities along with their continued development of advanced conventional munitions and systems all remains unchecked. These capabilities continue to hold the United States, South Korea and our regional allies at risk," Abrams added.
Those remarks come after US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford last week called himself a "glass half-empty guy when it comes to North Korean capabilities," and said Kim Jong Un's ballistic missile and nuclear arsenal still poses a threat.
"I still see a potential although as yet undemonstrated the capability to match a nuclear weapon with an intercontinental ballistic missile, and I think it's incumbent on the United States military to be prepared to defend the homeland and our allies from that eventuality," he said at an event at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC.
A US intelligence official echoed that view earlier this month, telling CNN that the analytical line on North Korea has not changed after President Donald Trump's no deal summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi.
The US intelligence community still believes that North Korea maintains its nuclear weapons capability, is unlikely to dismantle its nuclear or missile programs and could very easily go back into testing despite its months-long moratorium, the official said.
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