So Kim Jong Il tested a nuclear weapon today, and it looks like he's going to do it again. I say, the best response is for China to lay waste to Kim Jong Il's presidential palace with some good old strategic bombing.
Kim Jong Il should have to pay a price. More importantly, Iran should see that North Korea paid a price.
Captain Ed sees the test as a failure given that some reports put the yield of the bomb tested at 550 tons
The yield of the device has to be significant enough to provide a military deterrent. A 550-ton-yield nuke is worse than useless. One can build conventional bombs with more impact than what Kim tested this morning, and with none of the diplomatic messiness that Kim has created over the last twelve years. A 550-ton-yield nuke doesn't even make a good tactical weapon, let alone a strategic deterrent.
Regardless, the question must be asked just how effective is the world's strategy with regards to nuclear non-proliferation? It doesn't appear to me that it has prevented any proliferation. Iran and North Korea are known suppliers of terrorist organizations. Given that, it would seem to me that very strong measures must be taken to discourage these two countries from making further advances.
And China, who claims to be the leader in Asia, should be the one to police North Korea, given that NK could barely exist were it not for China. And a spanking by China, I'm thinking, would not result in the North attacking South Korea the way it likely would if the US were to strike.
The worst thing that could happen is that the chattering class spend endless hours condemning North Korea and ultimately doing nothing. If they are going to do sanctions, do it sooner rather than later.
But I like the China strike best.
No matter what, everyone has to keep in mind that Iran is watching and North Korea is advertising their wares.
And their new product is a nuke.
