Veterans at Mooresville coffee shop discuss tensions

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Richard's Coffee Shop in Mooresville has become a meeting place for veterans of all wars.

Wednesday, Roderick MacFarquhar and others discussed the increasing tensions between the United States and North Korea.

"I think they're just trying to intimidate," MacFarquhar said.

MacFarquhar fought in the last major conflict with North Korea 60 years ago.

He is a veteran of two wars, Korea and World War II.

When he was in Korea, the fight was over tensions stemming from a division of the country at the end of World War II.

Today, that division has led to new tensions and North Korea's leader, Kim Jung Un, threatening nuclear war with the US and South Korea.

"They'll push as far as they can keep pushing to see if they're going to get the reaction they want," MacFarquhar said.

He doesn't think North Korea has the ability to follow through on those threats, but other veterans at don't see how the situation will de-escalate without some kind of military action.

"He's getting backed into a corner," Vietnam veteran Deiter Kramer said.

Kramer said sanctions have not worked in the past.

In recent weeks, the US has mobilized war ships and even sent stealth bombers over the country.

"If he does something we have to respond, not over respond, but we have to respond. We can't just let him keep getting away with it," said Kramer.

WSOC