North Korea Prepares For War As Mike Pence Puts U.S. Troops On ‘Standby’

With tensions between North Korea and the U.S. at an all-time high, it seems that both sides are preparing for war. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made repeated threats to destroy the United States in a nuclear holocaust. President Donald Trump has responded in kind, using his recent United Nations speech to threaten to “totally destroy” North Korea. As reported by the Inquisitr yesterday, President Trump has ordered B-52 bombers to their highest state of readiness since the end of the cold war and sent a third aircraft carrier battle group to the region.

As reported by The Guardian, General Mattis warned that the U.S. will never “accept North Korea as a nuclear power.” Mattis also warned that the threat of a nuclear war between the USA and North Korea is accelerating. During a visit to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, Vice President Mike Pence warned U.S. troops to be ready for war.

As reported by The Hill, the base would play a critical role in the face of an attack by North Korea. It is home to a fleet of B-52 bombers and houses 150 intercontinental ballistic missiles. Vice President Pence told troops that President Trump needed them to “stay sharp” and “be ready” should current tensions lead to war with North Korea.

“Now more than ever your commander in chief is depending on you to be ready. Stay sharp, mind your mission.

“Anyone who would threaten our nation should know that America always seeks peace, but if we are forced to defend ourselves or our allies, we will do so with military power that is effective and overwhelming. And those gathered here at Minot Air Force Base will play a critical role.”

If actions in North Korea overnight are anything to go by, it would seem that Kim Jong-un is finally beginning to listen to the Trump administration. Many news outlets, including the Daily Mirror, are reporting that North Korea carried out mass evacuation drills “in preparation for war.”

Whilst there was no drill in the North Korean capital, large towns and cities in the east of the country were evacuated and “blackout drills” practiced. According to the Daily Mail, this is the first time that North Korea has conducted drills on this scale since 2003.

The latest developments in North Korea seem to suggest that President Trump’s message is beginning to get through to Kim Jong-un. As reported by The Guardian, North Korea has been planning to test a missile that could deliver nuclear warheads to the U.S. mainland and are threatening to explode a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific. If the Trump administration’s tough stance on North Korea can deter those actions, then perhaps the threat of World War 3 will recede.

[Featured Image by David Zalubowski/AP Images]