U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis: If North Korea Hits Guam 'Then It's Game On'

CNN: Mattis: If North Korea hits Guam 'then it's game on'

(CNN)Secretary of Defense James Mattis issued a strong warning to North Korea Monday: "If they shoot at the United States, I'm assuming they've hit the United States. ... If they do that, then it's game on."

"You don't shoot at people in this world unless you want to bear the consequences," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon.

The American defense secretary said that the US military would be able to determine "within moments" after launch whether or not a North Korean missile was headed for US territory, including Guam. He later added that the US would "take it out" if the missile was determined to be headed for any US territory.

But he also made clear that

while the military was poised to protect Guam from the North Korean military threat, a declaration of war was a decision that remains with President Donald Trump and Congress.

Read more ....

Update: Mattis says if North Korea fires at U.S. it could "escalate to war" quickly -- CBS

WNU editor: A declaration of war can only be made by the U.S. President and Congress .... but such a North Korean missile strike on Guam .... even as a test that went wrong .... will be hard to contain from escalating into a major conflict.

Update #2: Cold feet? .... North Korea's Kim Jong Un says will watch U.S. bit longer before acting: KCNA (Reuters).

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