The Pentagon ordered an advanced missile defence system to the western Pacific on Wednesday, as the US defence secretary, Chuck Hagel, declared that North Korea posed "a real and clear danger" to South Korea, Japan and America itself.
The deployment of the battery to the US territory of Guam is the biggest demonstration yet that Washington regards the confrontation with North Korea as more worrying than similar crises over the past few years. It also suggests the Americans are preparing for a long standoff.
North Korea ramped up its rhetoric on Wednesday, warning that it had authorised plans for nuclear strikes on targets in the US. The North Korean military said that the "moment of explosion is approaching fast" and that war could break out "today or tomorrow".
The Pentagon announced the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence System (THAAD) before the latest statement from Pyonyang. It is intended to provide protection for US military bases in the region against short- and medium-range North Korean missiles. North Korea has, over the past few weeks, warned that it could strike Guam, Hawaii and the US west coast.The $800m (£529m) battery was not due for deployment until 2015, but will now be in place in weeks.
There had been debate within the US defence department about deploying it first to the Middle East to protect Israel, but the threat from North Korea is now viewed as more serious.
I just do not know what to think anymore. North Korea is taking this far. I agree they do have a valid reason but we do not need a needless bloodshed.
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