Telegraphing Their Doom

I thought that after the last North Korean artillery bombardment of a South Korean island (following soon after the sinking of one of South Korea's small warships) that South Korea would saddle up with an alpha strike on the North Korean artillery units responsible. But there was no response.

But now Admiral Mullent warns the North Koreans that they got their last free shot at our side:

Crediting South Korean leaders for their “poise and calm” in the face of last year’s provocations from North Korea, the top U.S. military leader today warned North Korea to expect “a very strong response” to a future attack.

“The north should not mistake their restraint as a lack of resolve, nor should they interpret it as a willingness to accept continued attacks … unchallenged,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a media roundtable in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

It helps that the Chinese have warned North Korea not to expect Chinese support if North Korea starts another incident.