Washington Free Beacon Senior Editor Bill Gertz argued on Tuesday that the U.S. should refrain from responding to North Korea militarily and instead should wage an information war in hopes of prompting a regime change.
"I say we flood the country with laptop computers and cell phones," Gertz told Christian Broadcasting Network host Pat Robertson. Arguing that military action would create a "devastating humanitarian disaster," Gertz suggested that the U.S. should opt for breaking through the "hermetically sealed" North Korea with new information.
Robertson asked Gertz about the potential for a electromagnetic pulse attack by North Korea on the United States. Gertz said that kind of attack would "fry all of the electronics" in a roughly 1000-mile area, but would prompt "a massive, U.S. counter-strike."
"It would mean the end of the North Korean regime," Gertz added.
He also doubted that the U.S. could cooperate with China to pressure North Korea economically.
"The saying is that the Chinese and North Korean militaries are as close as teeth and lips," Gertz said before describing the two countries as "fraternal, communist allies."
Gertz predicted that the next step in diplomatic efforts against North Korea might take the form of sanctions against Chinese companies that trade with its communist neighbor.
"I think that the next step we'll probably see is some increased sanctions, perhaps even sanctions on many of the Chinese companies that are trading with North Korea," Gertz said. "I think that would send a strong signal to Beijing that they need to reign in this regime."