US could wipe out North Korea in 15 minutes, says Gen. Tom McInerney

Retired Gen. Tom McInerney on Monday said the United States has the capability to take out every city in North Korea, if Kim Jong Un were to fire artillery into Seoul, South Korea.

“If he gets our full nuclear retaliatory capability, within minutes after one round going into Seoul, there will be nothing left,” McInerney told Liz Claman on “Countdown to the Closing Bell.” “If you go to Airborne Alert—we used to call it “Chrome Dome”—with nuclear weapons and then we start building up our other forces, et cetera, he will not last 15 minutes.”

The Hermit Kingdom announced Monday it will take “thousands-fold” revenge against the United States after the United Nations imposed new sanctions on the communist country on Saturday. The resolution, approved unanimously by the Security Council on Saturday, comes as a result of Pyongyang’s repeated ballistic missile tests and efforts to develop a nuclear warhead. The sanctions are aimed at the country’s economy, including stopping the expansions of joint ventures and the exports of coal, lead, lead ore, iron, iron ore and seafood.

McInernery also provided insight on how the U.S. and other foreign countries should handle North Korea’s recent provocations.

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“I would form a political area treaty organization, similar to NATO. I would have South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand and other countries out there form a bulwark, not only against North Korean expansion but at Chinese expansion. I would start moving in more THAAD missiles. I would put our nuclear retaliatory capability on ground alert … I would start increasing our naval and air forces in the region,” he said.

Additionally, on Sunday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said “all options,” including a military one, are still available, regarding threats from the Kim Jong Un regime.

“The United States will respond based on North Korea’s actions,” she told Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.” “We hope that they don’t do anything further. We hope that they stop this reckless activity, we hope we don’t have to do anything, but all options have always been on the table and will continue to be on the table.”