[ScottinVA]

The tactical ploy is this whole threat of conflict in the first place. North Korea is having a “pay attention to me” tantrum. It ramps up every few years, then fizzles. Remember the Norks were supposed to launch a missile on 10 April? That date came and went and nothing happened. What Kim wants is someone to cut him a deal that includes food aid that’ll tide him over until the next rant.

It’s just a game they play... there’s not going to be any conflict. Obama’s enjoying the “commander-in-chief” role-play, though. He gets to put on his bemedaled “little third-world dictator general” suit.

[TigerLikesRooster]

After each ploy, they have better toys: better missiles and nukes. That is a concern. While they regularly extort economic aid from us, they do advance their strategic goal, even while their economy is cut to the bone. They bankroll their project with extorted money.

[trebb]

It’s just a game they play... there’s not going to be any conflict. Obama’s enjoying the “commander-in-chief” role-play, though. He gets to put on his bemedaled “little third-world dictator general” suit.

You are probably correct. I would still be leery of an, "It's probably nothing to worry about" attitude. NK and Iran are tied at the hip and the more we assume that things ain't gonna escalate, the more the damage that we are open for.