North Korea is developing a pattern to fire missiles over the United States' allies, such as its launch over Japan early Tuesday, and the event will result in hastening more talks with China and its role in controlling North Korean's increased aggressions, retired Gen. Jack Keane said.
"[Japan] feels somewhat defenseless," the Fox military analyst told the "America's Newsroom" program. "Given the fact they only have patriot missiles defending it, it would have to shoot [North Korea's] missile down in its terminal phase."
The United States' policy is a "sound one," said Keane, as it is "largely diplomatic focused around toughening sanctions on North Korea, isolating that country and using China's leverage."
Keane said he is sure the United States will speak to China following Tuesday's missile over Japan, as going through China is the "only path that makes any sense."
At the same time, the United States is "on a collision course with China," said Keane, as it wants to dominate the Pacific Ocean and "take the place of the United States as the pre-eminent global power in the world."
Tuesday's missile, he continued, "is a step closer in that direction to where we're going to eventually be confronting China with much tougher sanctions and a different geopolitical approach with them than what we have had in the past. I think it's unavoidable, the path that we are on."
However, the United States will have to step up that policy, said Keane, and "they may put some other option on the table like shooting down another missile if it's fired."
North Korea is describing the United States' joint military exercise with South Korea as "provocation," and saying it won't stop unless the exercises stop, but Keane said that won't happen.
"That's a biannual exercise, a critical exercise because what the United States and South Korea actually practicing is going to war with North Korea, actually taking that regime down," the retired general said. "That is what is going on and North Korea is very much aware of that and that's why they resent it. We will never give up those exercises."
Both North Korea and China, "who was complicit here," that they want to stop the exercise and for the United States to pull out of South Korea, Keane continued.
"North Korea has always had a long-term goal of unifying the peninsula under their control, much as we always had a long-term goal of unifying the peninsula under South Korea's control," said Keane. "North Korea's dream here is never going to happen to be sure, but that's clearly their strategic intent."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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