North Korea: why bother with a test?

Originally Posted by YeOldeButchere

Perhaps it wasn't a test, but a full scale attack on Japan and the West Coast, except all their missiles failed, so no one actually noticed. Or Kim really doesn't like the Sea of Japan.

You think he's going to take that aggressive of a posture without some kind of fallback plan? I'd hesitate to call it an attack, but Kim has been reported as a very shrewd and calculating man. It could be this really is a diversion to focus the U.S.'s attention away from some other, truly menacing project still under wraps.

A failure on this scale does a lot to instill a sense of security, which goes in N.K.'s favor if the missle wasn't what they were really worried about.

How ya doing, buddy?

Quote:

The one thing which could have happened is that they really did destroy the Taep'o-dong 2 in flight, and will launch another one from somewhere else now that people are less worried so it has a greater effect.

Yeah, that's pretty much all I had in mind.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by ArrowHead

I have to confess, American confused me at times. People have the right to self defence, but nations do not?

The idea being that responsible nations, ones capable of acting in the best interestsof their people rather than their dictator-for-life, quite possibly can use nuclear weapons responsibly.

But whether for self-motivated reasons or selfless ones, Kim Il Jong seems like one of the persons who least needs a nucelar arsenal. If we were still talking about India/Pakistani relations I think you might be onto something, but as it is, N.K. is being completely subdued by a completely egotistical and overly ambitious man.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.