With North Korea nearing its first test launch of a ballistic missile that could strike within the US, Clinton Administration defense chief William J. Perry is calling for a pre-emptive strike to target that long-range missile on its pad. In a Washington Post op-ed, Perry joins with Ashton Carter, his assistant secretary for international security policy, to write: “Should the United States allow a country openly hostile to it and armed with nuclear weapons to perfect an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering nuclear weapons to US soil? We believe not. … Intervening before mortal threats to US security can develop is surely a prudent policy. … If North Korea persists in its launch preparations, the United States should immediately make clear its intention to strike and destroy the North Korean Taepodong missile before it can be launched. … Diplomacy has failed, and we cannot sit by and let this deadly threat mature.”
The Air Force could conduct an operation like Israel's successful air campaign against Iran's nuclear sites, military leadership and air defenses, but readiness issues would make it risky, airpower experts said. Limited spare parts and training, low mission capable rates and few flying hours would put a drag on USAF's…