Sorry about the even-more-peurile-than-normal heading to this post but the military temperature is rising on the Korean peninsular. According to my trusty, old warriors at NightWatch the bellicosity from the North Koreans has reached levels not seen since 1988. Not only have they unilaterally abrogated the ceasefire set in place at the end of the last Korean war but now their government-controlled media are ratcheting up the sense of crisis amongst their own people, warning them of imminent war. 'Fat Boy' Kim has paid an official visit to the artillery units which fired on the off-shore Islands owned by South Korea a few years ago. The NightWatch boys and girls reckon that the North Koreans will now be in a high state of readiness for war with all ICBMs loaded and ready to fire on the word of command.
Meanwhile, back in Beijing, the silence is deafening! I cannot believe they are happy about the possibility of a war - especially a nuclear war - breaking out on their borders. The leadership in China maintains its political control via the constant increase in trade and wealth shared amongst its people. If that is disrupted and zillions of Chinese suddenly loose jobs and incomes they have become used to, the government will quickly be in trouble.
The problem with 'Fat Boy' Kim's antics is that there are too many actors involved - in the two Koreas, in Beijing, in Washington and Tokyo, and thus the chances of mistakes and misapprehensions increases hugely. However, perhaps now, people will realise the dangers of loonies being allowed to 'go nuclear' - and they do not come much loonier than those in Tehran - except possibly in Pyongyang!
