The most recent edition of The Atlantic contains a lengthy and thorough article discussing our military options with North Korea. To no one’s surprise, the author ultimately concludes that all of the proactive options are far too risky, and that deterrence is the best choice.
I doubt Trump sees it that way. He is far too invested in “winning” by putting an end to the North Korean nuclear program. He simply can’t tolerate looking like a loser. So, given the alternatives of humiliation or hundreds of thousands of dead South Koreans, which do you think he’ll pick?
If I lived in South Korea, I would be really, really worried. The best hope is that Trump will blame Obama for the mess and thus, at least in his own mind, avoid the “loser” tag.