the most dangerous thought is the thought of a "bloody nose" for north korea which people like McMaster are pushing, and it seems like they are winning considering the nominee for ambassador to SK is being replaced over statements incompatible with this position. this scenario envisions DPRK as both entirely irrational and rational at the same time. Irrational because it will not bend at anything other than military might. Rational in that it will realize the US would be conducting a small scope operation not intent on destroying the DPRK. it perversely encourages the DPRK to hurry up and finish ICBM capability as well, because the position is simply that the US must do this now because we can't do it in the future.
lets not forget the USS Pueblo. the Pueblo was a spy ship captured by the DPRK in international waters. the loss of material for spying was catastrophic, but the koreans also learned that the US backs down rather than fight, and they've applied this lesson for the last 50 years, just continuously calling the US bluff, even when the US is entirely in the right like when their ship is boarded and prisoners taken from international waters. well one of these days it's gonna end up with millions of people dead if the US actually pulls the trigger now. thanks LBJ you f**k kitty