War-hammer News. This could escalate quickly.

via The Hill

Defense Secretary James Mattis said Monday that the United States will attempt to shoot down any North Korean missile launched at the country or its territories.

"We’ll take it out," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon.

He later said that, should a North Korean missile hit U.S. soil, including the Pacific island of Guam, it would constitute an act of war.

“If they shoot at the United State, I’m assuming they hit the United States. If they do that, it’s game on,” Mattis added.

North Korea last week threatened to launch ballistic missiles at waters off the coast of Guam, a U.S. territory that hosts about 6,000 American troops and thousands of civilians.
The isolated nation made the statement after President Trump warned North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to stop making threats against the U.S. and allies or it would "be met with fire and fury ... like the world has never seen."

North Korea then warned that a plan to attack Guam would be in place by mid-August.

Mattis said the Defense Department would “know within moments” if a North Korean missile has been launched and if it was headed toward Guam.

“I think if they fire at the United States it could escalate into war very quickly. Yes, that’s called war, if they shoot at us,” Mattis said.

Mattis also said that should North Korea fire in the direction of Guam but not hit the territory, “that becomes an issue that we take up however the president chooses.”

“War is up to the president, perhaps up to the Congress. The bottom line is we will defend the country from an attack,” he later said. “Yes, that means for a lot of young troops, they’re going to be in a war time situation.”

He added: “You don’t shoot at people in this world. You don’t shoot at people in this world unless you want to bear the consequences.” 

A couple of things....

1.  The news media is so busy beating up on Trump and lauding the generals that they've failed to notice the  absolute consensus in the  Pentagon.  From the Commander of Forces in Korea, to the Commander of Naval Forces in the Pacific, to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and even the Sec of Defense they're all on the same page.  War in Korea will be bloody but in their opinion doable.

2.  The Sec of Defense is hardly the dove that many thought he would be. He isn't over the top like Trump but he is MOST ASSUREDLY daring the N. Korean dictator to pull the trigger.

3.  Everyone is hanging their hats on sanctions in the belief that suddenly China will see the light.  How stupid is that?  This is Asia.  China will not be seen bending to the will of the United States.  That goes against everything I've ever learned about the region.  Two things are at play here.  On a cultural level they would individually rather die than be seen to lose face. The next is what's happening on a national level in China.  They see themselves as the rising power.  The Chinese Chairman would lose his seat if he were seen to back down in the face of American threats.  And make no mistake about it. The threat of sanctions is not taken with favor.  This was suppose to be a way back for the Chinese.  Instead its painted their leadership into a tighter corner.

In essence this thing is still spiraling.  China can't back down.  N. Korea can't back down and the US can't back down.

S. Korea is fucked.  They know they're fucked, but despite statements by the S. Korean leadership that they have a veto they don't.

National pride will see war on the peninsula.