CBS News' David Martin's analysis of where U.S. stands with North Korea
On the latest episode of "The Takeout" podcast, over Proper Burgers and a Rocket Salad at Duke's Grocery, veteran CBS News national security correspondent David Martin delivered his analysis on where the United States stands with North Korea.
"I don't think we're on the precipice of war, but I do think we're on a collision course," he said.
With more than three decades of covering the Pentagon, State Department, and U.S. intelligence community, Martin has an acute sense of how U.S. – North Korea relations may pan out in the months and years to come.
"The North Koreans -- make no bones about it -- they are working to develop a ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead that has the capability to deliver that warhead…to target the United States," he said. "They have a missile. The hard part is the warhead."
"But to bring that warhead down on the heads of Americans," he explained, "you have to encase it in what's called a re-entry vehicle, that can withstand all of the heat and buffeting that an object encounters when it's returning from space and re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. And they have not yet demonstrated that they have that capability. The U.S. intelligence community believes they're probably about a year away from having that capability."
On the home front, And on a more immediate crisis at home, Martin says the U.S. military is uniquely equipped to handle the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey.
"Responding to a catastrophe like this is a lot like war. It all depends on logistics and that's what the U.S. military does best."
For more from Major and Steve's conversation with David Martin, download this week's podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Spotify. Also, you can watch this week's episode on CBSN Friday and Saturday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT. New episodes are available via podcast every Friday morning.
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Produced by: Arden Farhi and Katiana Krawchenko
