Amongst in this pattern. The prospect of

mainland, flying 500 miles higher than any previous test of its kind. According to military analysts, the missile, dubbed the Hwasong-15, can boast a maximum range of 8,100 miles. This makes any major U.S. city well within reach, and represents a watershed moment in how we must handle our diplomatic relationship.On December 29th, North Korea’s state-run news agency proclaimed that the DPRK had no intention of stepping down its nuclear weapons development programs in 2018. Soon after, Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, voiced his opinion that due to the “uncertainty” of President Trump’s leadership, we are actually closer to war with North Korea than ever before.

Pyongong has always adopted a strategy of escalation, knowing that a direct or limited U.S. military invention would be unlikely and ineffective; a nuclear attack is the only viable American response to increased threats.Will the United States finally go to war with North Korea in 2018? When Trump took office in 2017, our relationship with North Korea changed inexorably. The sad irony is that we may be in a far more dangerous place with Trump’s finger on the button of our nuclear arsenal, despite all of Pyongyang’s instigations.