Doug Bandow argues that a military attack on North Korea is "the least desirable of a range of unpalatable policy choices. An attack on North Korea is likely to result in a full retaliatory response by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which would threaten the lives of hundreds of thousands of South Koreans, as well as the nearly 37,000 Americans stationed on the peninsula. Even a successful attack could spread nuclear fallout throughout East Asia. Finally, a unilateral U.S. attack that destabilized the peninsula could upset relations with China and South Korea."