It isn't the sunset you should be worried about. In all likely hood, IF (and that is a bloody big if) the PRK has nukes at this point, they'll be big suckers, probably gun type, and almost certainly too big for this platform. Thier best bet would be to use a truck to deliver it.

I have no doubt the current Great Leader's father had a bio weapons program, and that it produced results, but I don't know if they could get the refridgerated RV design that the Russians developed to work, not with thier mass budget and tech level. If they did, then you'd be looking at an airburst of either a inhaled particulate, like anthrax or maybe botulism, or plague with live fleas (the Japanese made it work with artillery and gravity bombs during WWII). While scary, they are managable. An inhaled virus they could have in inventory, but I don't think they can get an RV to work that would keep it alive and be able to distribute it worth beans.

Most likely, if you got a suprise package from the malignant dwarf, it would be chemical. Something heavier than air, with a decent persistancy, pop the package at night and let the cloud sink into an urban area. Most likely a nerve agent, but maybe blister or blood. You'd have a little warning, but how do you evac a metropolitan area?

And honestly, as much as I hate to say it, I think the PRK is one of our bigger threats. I dont' think Mr. Kim is able to understand that if he drops this on the West coast, he could get to have a practical lesson in Einstianian physics. The only thing holding us back that I can think of would be that the Japanese would be in the fallout zone. A few years ago, someone compaired Mr Kim to the Joker from Batman- not the worst desciption, just more so. Even if all it was was sneezing powder (remember, this guy is past clinically insane, expect anything), the chaos would be worth it as a destab attack. He'd find it funny.

Of course, given the quantities they have on hand and the historical lack of reliability of thinks stamped "made in the PRK", I doubt that (a) the TD-2 is going to get very far, and (b) that the test will be with a live load.

HAHAHA... that was good for a laugh this morning. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I also share your skepticism on whether or not North Korea is going to be able to make this missile launch successful.

Then again, it only has to be successful once to have an effect. If so, that would be the last thing the "dwarf" manages to pull off. I wonder if he's crazy enough to risk the suicide of his country in exchange for fifteen minutes of fame? There wouldn't be much left, but he'd go down in the history books. Maybe even one-up his old man and be a bigger hero...

Yes, he is crazy enough. I've seen a number of psych evals from a variety of sources. Imagine a soap opera on acid, staring, produced and directed by a cross between Hitler, Nero and Micheal Jackson.

A couple of the evals spectulated that he believes he is immortal, and the rest were that he is of the opinion we don't have the will or means to actually take action against him. After all, we don't hold military parades in DC, NYC or LA, so by his logic, we don't really have the military we say we do. That we've never taken him or his father to task since the formal armistice shows that not only do we not have the means, we don't have the guts.

In either case, he was litterally raised to belive his father was a living god, and he was the son of that god. As such, his will defines reality, and as far as what he sees and heres, it does. He used to direct movies before his father kicked it, and everything that the official new media releases is scripted performances. Think the big parade at Disneyworld (he had a copy built), or the half time show at the Superbowl. There is some indications that he's under the impression that he's the only real person in the world, other than his father and his mother, and his father's second wife who is personal devil. Everyone else might be a figment of his imagination, or at the very least, under his control.

He likes people being afraid of him, that's how he gets his jollies, that and being the center of attention. That's why a lot of folks think the reason for the TD-2 test now is becuase he's being back burnered after Iraq, Iran and Afganistan. He also likes to think he is smarter than everyone else, that ties in with the PRK being a narcotics source. If the unenlightened westerners want to destroy themselves on his drugs, and they will pay him for the privilage, then it's two wonderful practical jokes for the price of one. That he's supposedly so brilliant is the reason his toadies play games at the negotiating table- they don't sneeze unless it is part of the script he signed off on, literally.

There is some indication that he likes to play at being a soldier. Skirmishes with airsoft and the like, usually with little kids on his side. He likes kids. Thing is, the games are rigged, so he thinks he really is the greatest warrior ever. Combine that with his sexual tastes and what is known to be in his movie collection, he most likely sees himself as the real-life Mister Bond. He's really big on escapism and denial of reality of all sorts. It wouldn't be going out on a limb to say he's schizophrenic.

You should read some of the stuff they tell the people about his childhood. Born on a sacred mountain, nursed by various animals to gain their wisdom and strength, bathed with rainbows.... The list goes on and on, it makes la Morte de Aurther look sober. The scary thing is, he probably belives it.

Yeah, he's nuts enough to start a war and think he'll survive. There was a rumor a while back that he died, either of natural causes or in a train wreck, back in 2004. I've got a small wager that he started that rumor, to make it look like he rose from the dead. Due to the fact that the state of affairs is only getting more and more out of touch with the rest of the world, I'm gonna stay he's still kicking.

Pity.