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On the one hand, US officials suggest it. On the other, saber rattling implies otherwise. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un says Pyongyang will amass a nuclear arsenal. It's needed to deter aggression.
After B-2s overflew South Korea, Rodong Sinmun said US provocations make American Pacific Rim bases prime targets. Russian analyst Evgeny Kim said introducing B2s "openly provok(es) North Korea."
Seoul remains calms. Pyongyang takes US threats seriously. At the same time, initiating war's unlikely. Doing so would be suicidal.
Washington's defense treaty with South Korea obligates intervention if North/South conflict erupts.
Potentially, a spark could ignite it. Small incidents at times cause big ones.
Another Asian war would be disastrous. China and Russia might intervene. If nuclear weapons are used, all bets are off.
It's hard imagining what no head of state should risk. For sure Kim Jong-un won't.
At the same time, Obama's Asia pivot makes anything possible. Events bear close watching.
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