# Preemptive strike against the United States?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preemptive-strike-against-the-united-states/153236>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 6, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preemptive-strike-against-the-united-states/153236 "2003-02-06T16:54:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![InLikeFlynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f19dbf/32.png) [@InLikeFlynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InLikeFlynn)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preemptive-strike-against-the-united-states/153236/1 "2003-02-06T16:54:53Z")

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North Korean deputy foreign minister  
“RiPyong-gap” was quoted in Britain’s Guardian  
newspaper as saying “preemptive attacks are  
not the exclusive right of the U.S.”

I really feel as though I missed something. Until the President named N. Korea as part of the dreaded “Axis of Evil”, I hadn’t heard as much as a peep out of them. Now a year latter they have reactivated their nuclear reactor and are talking about **“preemptive strikes”!**  
What are they out to prove? Is it really only leverage in their trading status or are they actually out for a confrontation with the only super power left standing?  
I am a whole hell of a lot currently more concerned with the country that has nuclear technology and is threatening us then the one whom is trying to acquire it and is still licking its wounds.