ABOUT NORTH KOREA: WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE ACTION IN 2018

South Korea says North Korea is getting ready to launch a satellite into space.  Given what we know about their nuclear weapons program, it is entirely possible that this "satellite" launch is a coverup for something far more sinister.  

We already know that they have missiles capable of reaching the U.S.  The only thing preventing their ability to use such a missile to send a nuke to U.S. soil is the ability to miniaturize a nuclear bomb to the point that it can be carried by that missile.  The "full-speed-ahead" strategy for their program makes it entirely possible that they are close to that point.  Therefore, this "satellite launch" could be a test to see if their missiles can successfully carry an object the size and weight of a miniaturized nuclear bomb.  

The sanctions they are under prohibit missile launches and satellite launches, so this upcoming launch is another poke in the eye for the U.S. anyway and it signals that Kim Jong un doesn't care how many sanctions we put on his country, he is bound and determined to achieve nuclear launch capability early in 2018.  

His next likely move would be to order the U.S. to get out of South Korea... or else.  And we all know what his next likely move would be after that.  

Forget all of the talk and the sanctions.  They're not working and are not going to work.  Kim has backed himself into a corner by his continued rhetoric; backing down would amount to losing face and could even lead to his overthrow.  He is totally aware of that possibility and is therefore committed to proceeding, no matter how tough the going gets.  

To his credit, Trump has no intentions of allowing allowing any tin-horn dictator to hold our country hostage.  

This all leads to the inescapable conclusion that military action will take place in 2018.  And my analysis of the probability that North Korea would start firing off artillery at Seoul is that it is a decision similar to the one Truman had about using the nukes on Japan to bring about the end of World War II:  it would be a better proposition  to risk the lives of 200,000 or more people in Seoul than the lives of a million in Los Angeles.  Had not Truman acted, millions undoubtedly would have been killed before the end of WW II. 

 That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.