Introduction
Could the United States launch a nuclear attack on North Korea, even before it is attacked? And could President Donald Trump order such an attack on his own?
These once improbable questions have been vigorously discussed in the capital since Trump this summer raised the prospect of raining “fire and fury” on North Korea in response to the isolated country’s military threats, and then weeks later claimed that North Korea faced “total destruction” if the United States felt it had to defend itself against an attack.
His defense secretary, James Mattis, affirmed in testimony before the Sen. Foreign Relations Committee on Oct. 30 that a first strike on North Korea using U.S. nuclear arms is possible “if we saw they were preparing” an imminent, direct attack on the United States. Mattis quickly added, however, that nonnuclear weapons were available for use if needed, and said a nuclear strike was not being discussed by senior officials “in any kind of action
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Really, you can t take anything for granted about a centuries-old elf who relies on a magical sleigh to deliver presents to the 7.8 billion residents of an entire planet in a single night.
Except this: The normal laws of plane, train and automobile travel don t apply. Social-distancing requirements and the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic probably don t pose much of an impediment for his Christmas mission either.
The same can t be said, however, for the personnel of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which is having to make adjustments to its 65-year tradition of tracking Ol St. Nick s flight.