Chauncy Hagel on NK Threat: 'We Are Aware of – of What's Going On'

 Secretary of Defense, Chuck (Chauncy) Hagel is not inspiring confidence in the face of an increasingly bellicose North Korea. Army Gen. Kang Pyo Yong has reportedly threatened to shell Washington, “the stronghold of evils” with nuclear missiles, engulfing it in “a sea of fire.”

Via  Joel Gehrke of The Washington Examiner, he told reporters, yesterday, not to worry, they’ve got it under control: “We have partnerships in that part of the world that are important,
and I — I think that — that that reality is — is clear, and that’s what
we will — will continue to do.”

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters not to worry about North
Korea’s threat to carry out a preemptive strike on Washington D.C. after
the United States led a push for a new round of United Nations
sanctions on the regime.

“[T]he United States of America and our allies are prepared to deal with
any threat, and any reality that occurs in the world,” Hagel said
during a media availability on his way to Afghanistan when asked about
North Korean bellicosity. “Second, we are aware of — of what’s going
on.  We have partnerships in that part of the world that are important,
and I — I think that — that that reality is — is clear, and that’s what
we will — will continue to do.”

Is it too much to ask that the United States be represented by a Sec. of Defense who can finish a sentence?