Looks like shit may finally go down. :-(

War. What's it even good for?

I still doubt it.
They have the whole world against them, apparently China and Russia, too, at the moment.

The rhetoric alone is not what worries me, that is usually more for internal consumption to build nationalist support behind a regime losing control. What is troubling is the closing of the joint industrial zone, all the rhetoric in the world doesn't hurt them economically but when they start making moves that affect their extremely fragile economy then I start to get the sense they are going all in on whatever game they are playing.

A country with nothing to lose is as dangerous as they come.

Russia and China bare a huge amount of responsibility for allowing this regime stick around long enough to become a nuclear power. It is up to them to take whatever steps to resolve this disaster before it happens.

It was also quite foolish to bring the B-2s to South Korea and publicize it. Far better is to ignore NK and make them look stupid for escalating tensions all by themselves.

Its diplomacy American style...

US has wanted to move a lot of assets to Pacific region, in general. China cannot say much given their worldplayer aspirations.

They have intimated in several press releases they are willing to talk.
Problem is, NK is insane. Its been that way for hundreds of years.

To quite, WS,
"If it must rain, then let it come down."

The US are now saying it would not be suprised if North Korea launches missiles in the next few days

Warning comes after regime places missiles on mobile launchers on east coast in range of Japan and US bases

Amid reports that the British and other foreign embassies in Pyongyang were mulling over evacuating their staff after North Korea warned that it could no longer guarantee their safety, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said today that the administration wouldn’t be surprised if North Korea launched a missile to provoke the United States.

“We’ve obviously seen the reports that North Korea may be making preparations to launch a missile, and we’re monitoring this situation closely. And we would not be surprised to see them take such an action. It would fit their current pattern of bellicose, unhelpful, unconstructive rhetoric and actions. We urge them to stop with the provocations.”

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un recently threatened to “mercilessly strike” its enemies, but few people believe the nation has the technology to launch a nuclear warhead at the United States. It does, however, have the ability to hit South Korea, Guam or Japan.

http://www.humanevents.com/2013/04/0...nched-missile/

Dr. Abdul Qadeer (A.Q.) Khan, the so-called “father of the Islamic nuclear bomb," says he doubts North Korea will explode a nuclear device in its current face-off with the United States and South Korea, saying the regime of Kim Jong Un is "not very stupid."

From his luxurious home in Islamabad, Khan, whose newly found political party is inserting itself into the Pakistan’s upcoming elections, said he did not think the North Koreans are “trigger happy.”

In an exclusive 30-minute phone interview, Khan told Fox News: "Oh, no, no, no, they (the North Koreans ) are not very stupid … few people blow it up and get hype, blow it against proportion. North Korea is such a small country, if America drops a single bomb, there won’t be any North Korea on the map of the world. The North Koreans know it very well and the Americans know it very well, but for sheer propaganda and publicity both play the game.”

Talking to Koreans they expect him to do something tomorrow. Small missiles. nothing nuclear. But do expect him to make a show of force.

What response to take is the tricky part.

It's about midnight Korean time right now right? I guess it's time to keep an eye on a news feed.

"Obama administration says it's likely North Korea may test fire mobile ballistic missile at any time, U.S. official says."

The Obama administration calculates it is likely North Korea may test fire mobile ballistic missiles at any time based on the most recent intelligence showing it is likely Pyongyang has completed launch preparations, a U.S. official said.

Test?

What I think most people don't realize is it wont be just the US, South Korea and perhaps Japan involved in this.

If NK attacks they are instantly at war with all 17 countries that signed the armistice agreement way back in I think it was 1953. It's a long list of countries and NK will be technically at war with them all.

Oddly enough the only country not on that list is South Korea because they never signed the agreement.

So, NK did nothing.
Once again :)

"Two North Korean Musudan missiles have been withdrawn from a launch site in the eastern part of the country and sent to a storage facility, a U.S. official confirmed Monday."

:)

I read that on the news earlier... Makes you wonder what kind of back door shit went down.

only time will tell this tale. Personally I think we should let them deal with their own issues themselves. Why do we always have to get involved and our troops are the ones who pay with their lives while South Korea will lose nothing