Threats

Here’s What the US Could Sell South Korea and Japan to Counter North Korea

Trump doubles the allowable size of Seoul’s warheads and promises to transfer more sophisticated weapons to Asian allies.

Ideas

The Clear Logic of the Latest North Korean Test

Kim Jong Un has a predictable purpose and a plan.

Ideas

The Quite Rational Basis for North Korea's Japan Overfly

With each new missile test, Pyongyang shakes Tokyo’s confidence in Washington, while accruing valuable data on its own capabilities.

Policy

Trump Directly Counters Mattis, Military, In Tweet on North Korea

‘Talking is not the answer!’ says president, after threatening ‘all options’ following North Korean missile-launch over Japan.

Ideas

Trump Doesn't Have the Authority to Attack North Korea Without Congress

The decision to engage in armed conflict rests with the legislative branch, a requirement that is neither a formality nor outdated.

Science & Tech

Why Didn’t the US Shoot Down That North Korean Missile?

The military’s record of hitting intermediate-range missiles is less than perfect. That makes the decision to attempt an intercept much harder.

Ideas

The North Korean Threat Beyond ICBMs

Even without them, the Kim regime can menace its immediate neighborhood—or sell nuclear material to rogue states.

Threats

What Does It Mean for North Korea to Fly a Missile Over Japan?

This latest strike may be Pyongyang’s most provocative test this year.

Threats

Why North Korea Walked Back Its Threat on Guam

Signs of a conflict with the U.S. may have been overblown.

Ideas

What Happens When No One Believes American Threats?

In the long term, it does America no favors for its president to establish a reputation for hyperbole and unrealistic threats.

Threats

North Korea: The View From Guam

What it’s like to be in the cross-hairs of the war of words between Washington and Pyongyang.

Threats

When Words Risk Provoking War

Words especially matter between societies that poorly understand each other’s motivations and intentions, as do North Korea and the U.S.

Ideas

America Is Not Ready for a War in North Korea

If loose words about fire and fury are a mere negotiating tactic, they will not deliver what the United States desires.

Ideas

Why Trump Is Wholly Unsuited to the North Korea Crisis

The president confronts a situation that calls for a trustworthy, careful, decisive leader drawing on all available expertise.

Threats

After Sanctioning Pyongyang, China Says the Ball’s in Everyone Else’s Court

Now, Beijing says, the U.S. and both Koreas need to step up and show they're ready to negotiate.

Ideas

What America Should Learn from North Korea's Latest Missile Test

Preventive war, if it was ever a viable option, certainly isn't now.

Science & Tech

The Pentagon is Funding Silicon Valley’s Space Industry to Watch North Korean Missiles

The U.S. military doesn’t have the information it needs to stop an attack by North Korea. But officials believe they know where to get it.

Ideas

Improve Hawai’i’s Missile Defenses — Now

The islands need interceptor missiles to fend off possible attack from North Korea.

Ideas

What’s Left to Sanction in North Korea?

It’s already one of the most isolated countries in the world. Can further financial punishment really change its decisions?

Ideas

Give Up on Denuclearizing North Korea

The question now is how to convince it not to use its weapons.