Attacking the enemy by nukes and being attacked by enemy’s nukes are two oppositely different sides of a picture. The country which dropped two atomic bombs on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki seventy two years ago in World War-II, United States, is now feeling the real pain of miseries created by any nuclear attack because at this time threat of being attacked by nuclear arsenals of North Korea has loomed at its doorsteps, after North Korea tested two Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) in this July.

United States (U.S.) has been threatened by totalitarian regime of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) since long but U.S. was delusional about the practicability of those challenges. U.S. did not ‘or’ could not respond in proportionate manner in past in view of imminent threats put forth by North Korean’s Kim dynasty. Now testing of two ICBM in one month by North Korea has suddenly put U.S. into shock. The situation is also stoked by horrific statements by North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un, who declared these ICBMs a gift for Americans. Now Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of North Korea’s regime, has threatened to send more ‘unexpected gift packages’ to the US if it continues its hostile policy against Pyongyang.

The tone of U.S. has entirely changed after the last month’s ICBM tests by DPRK. U.S. President Donald Trump lambasted China for doing ‘nothing’ to thwart North Korea’s nuclear quest. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sent a long message publicly to North Korea to assure them that U.S. is not an enemy to North Korea. In his statements, Tillerson tried his best to cool down North Korea. The changed low tone of U.S. clearly shows the fears of being smashed to smithereens by imprudent and rogue regime of North Korea. Although any attack from North Korea will not spare itself, but it looks that Pyongyang don’t care for “Mutually Assured Destruction”, a doctrine that prevented U.S. and Soviet Union from using nukes, especially after Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

Wonks at Washington are contemplating to counter threats posed by North Korean Leadership but all options are accompanied by huge human costs. American never expected that one day they would be threatened by nuclear attacks from a rogue state. If America dares for pre-emptive attack on North Korea then U.S., along with its allies South Korea and Japan, may have to suffer shower of missiles from North Korea because North Korea will have to follow “All or None” principle.

Any attempt for change in regime will also aggravate the situation. Kim Jong-un’s brutal measures of dealing opponents can’t let anyone to dare for rebellion.

Now reports are emerging that North Korea is one step away from Hydrogen Bomb. U.S. is left with no option apparently. U.S. has just re-tested its ICBM and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in these days. U.S. has also flown strategic bombers B-1 and conducted joint aerial patrolling with Japanese and South Korean Jets in Japanese and South Korean air space. All current escalations of tensions are the result of faulty policies of past and now they, Americans, are bearing the brunt. U.S. focused more and more at Afghanistan and Arab Countries. These were in the cross hairs of America during the last two decades. Americans set bad examples of Libyan Leader Muammar Qaddafi and Iraqi Leader Saddam Hussein. Both these leaders rolled back their nuclear programs and cooperated with U.S. and United Nations (UN) but U.S. put them at miserable end, a move that encouraged Kim Jong un to never to trust US.

Jawad Akram is an International Affairs Analyst. He has done Masters in International Relations. He can be reached at jawad5677@gmail.com