North Korea Splashes and hussein sputters...

In what is really more of a whimsical side-note to events, North Korea's missile test apparently failed and splashed into the ocean, although it may turn out that that is just US propaganda. Time will be the deciding factor.

What's really interesting in this Associated Press news story is president hussein's response.

Anyone who has been only vaguely paying attention knows that North Korea breaks the rules. It's a little like accusing Britney Spears of abnormal behavior... it is just part of the landscape.

North Korea, long isolated from most of the rest of the world, is a crumbling oligarchy of despotism that has committed outrageous acts over the years, any number of which might have sparked a war. It is, however, their massive war-machine, fueled in part by the Russians, that prevents anyone else, the US included, from seeking to engage them in direct conflict.

The economic harshness of the regime has forced Kim Jong Il to step out of the shadows and open multi-lateral negotiations with the rest of the Asian powers and the United States. President Bush wisely refused to have direct one-on-one negotiations because it would raise suspicions which would drive us further apart from our allies. Additionally, it would deny Kim Jong Il the one thing he craves most... legitimacy.

By negotiating directly with the US Kim Jong Il would then be seen to be a superpower.

So his occasional saber-rattling is an attempt to draw attention and hopefully keep the rest of the world off-guard. Such actions usually go along with children in their "terrible twos" and not heads of state, but ass I said, it is part of the North Korean landscape to act this way.

Let me break it down to its simplest terms: N. Korea NEVER plays by the rules.

So what does hussein have to threaten his Asian alter-ego? Well, not much really. You see, he already diluted any impact he might have had by making open negotiations with america less desirable (go ask Iran, the Taliban or the Mexican Drug Cartels if you don't believe me...) so Jong Il isn't risking losing anything on that score. Further, the US is not likely to commit to warfare with N. Korea especially since we're almost as broke as they are, but with a significantly more spread out military.

Also, it would hardly make the US look like the country that forthrightly and without even being asked to is ready to apologize for being such jerks, so that will severely hamper husseins' response options.

So he does what he does best... he sputters about how N. Korea broke the rules.

Hey, more than half of america voted for Mr. Touchy/Feely. You wanted change? You got it.

Anyone here remember how Bush, working with six other nations, convinced the N. Koreans to dismantle their nuclear processing facilities, even inviting CNN over to N. Korea to videotape the demolition of one of their major production sites?

ah well... the good old days... (hmmm... I'm missing them already...)

I'm Dr.Calamity and I approve this message