[Drammach]

I fully expect N. Korea to follow through on it's test...
Sometime this summer would be probable..
Kim will want a little time for things to die down after the test..
He will need time to ease expected sanctions..
Doing so in the fall could lead to food sanctions during winter, which could be really dangerous for the administration..

The question is whether the U.S. & U.N. have the "chochkies" to actually do what must be done, and whether nations like China, Russia and S. Korea will actually adhere to U.N. sanctions..
As far as U.S. sanctions are concerned, we are on our own.. It is very doubtful that any nation would back us up on sanctions initiated solely by the U.S...
One exception is possibly Japan, but even they have certain economic and trade ties that might influence their decision to sanction..

N. Korea is probably going to be another "Iraq scenario", with the U.S. the only nation unwilling to play N. Korea's game... ( depending on whether Dems win in '08.. In which case, all bets are off.. )
While N. Korea does not have the oil leverage of Iraq, it has a viable drug trade and the "nuclear blackmail" option..
Their ambivilant stance and threats of nuclear retaliation for any move it considers an "act of war" makes them very dangerous.

My personal preference..
As soon as an actual nuclear test takes place, start bombing..
Take out the artillery and missile bases near the border.. anything that can reach S. Korea..
Then take out the capital and all known military operations centers..
But then, I tend to be the type that prefers direct action to a threat and damn the consequences..
Better the devil you know than the devil you don't..

[commonasdirt]

I often wonder if Kim realizes that if he goes too far we can and will make his country look like the bottom of a Shake 'n Bake bag

[Blue Collar Christian]

"My personal preference..
As soon as an actual nuclear test takes place, start bombing..
Take out the artillery and missile bases near the border.. anything that can reach S. Korea..
Then take out the capital and all known military operations centers..
But then, I tend to be the type that prefers direct action to a threat and damn the consequences..
Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.."

My fantasy...er...preference too. Never happen, sadly.

Why the U.S. is even concerned about world opinion is a total mystery to me. Nobody loves us, but that's OK with me. It's all about maturity. Here we are, a relatively young country, and the Old World countries don't have the maturity to get along with us and truly benefit from it, but rather wallow around in their own vomit whining jealously, no matter what this country does. Contrary just to be contrary, just like a spoiled teenager.