Reasons why a US-North Korea war will not break out.

The heated war of words, coupled with successive military moves by both sides, is escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula. However, war is unlikely to break out.

Over the past 24 hours, breaking news about North Korea has dominated most of the world's media. Kim Jong Un's regime has warned it will retaliate with nuclear weapons if attacked by the US. Furthermore, Pyongyang has even stated it is considering a plan to attack Guam, a US territory in the Pacific, with missiles.

Photo: Chicago Tribune

On the US side, President Donald Trump declared to Pyongyang that Washington would respond to any threat against the US with "fire and fury" the kind the world has never seen.

The turning point that turned the Korean Peninsula into a cauldron of tension was Pyongyang's successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that experts believe could theoretically reach the United States, specifically cities like Chicago, New York, and Washington. The U.S. military also believes North Korea has achieved the capability to develop a nuclear weapon small enough to fit onto an ICBM.

But even if the North Korean crisis escalates to a terrifying new level, according to Vox magazine, a US-North Korea war is unlikely to break out.

In reality, the Trump administration is pursuing a very moderate diplomatic approach, even while asserting that "all options are on the table" when it comes to its strategy for addressing the North Korean nuclear threat.

While pressuring members of the UN Security Council to agree on strict sanctions against North Korea, Washington has signaled its willingness to negotiate directly with Pyongyang.

Following Pyongyang's latest missile test, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson even sent a message to North Korea saying, "We are neither an enemy nor a threat."

He asserted at a press conference at the Foreign Ministry on August 1st: "We are not seeking a regime change or the collapse of the regime. We are not seeking a rapid reunification of the peninsula, nor are we seeking a pretext to send troops to the 38th parallel" between North and South Korea.

Even as President Trump declared he was considering "a lot of serious things" to respond to North Korea's July 4 ICBM test, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon that "I don't believe this capability brings us any closer to war."

He asserted that America's "self-restraint" had prevented conflict and that "diplomatic efforts are continuing."

Furthermore, there is no indication that the U.S. is undertaking the large-scale logistical preparations necessary for launching a war against North Korea.

According to Vox, in the event of war, it could claim the lives of thousands of innocent people in South Korea and elsewhere. The situation could be far worse if nuclear bombs were used.

To date, those responsible for a war against North Korea appear to have taken no action, demonstrating that war remains a distant prospect at this time.

According to VNN