North Korea told world governments where to file their diplomatic protests, with a launch of a Taepodong-2 long range ballistic missile from their Musudan-ri launch facility located in the northeast part of the Communist country. The North Korean government calls the vehicle the Unha-2, but I call it the latest slap in the face by Kim Jong Ill to jittery neighbor states and concerned major powers, wringing their hands over what to do with their unstable neighbor. The launch of the "space vehicle carrying a communications satellite" is widely seen as a ruse to test the range capability of the Taepodong-2 to hit targets in the US.The BBC reports An unidentified South Korean official told Yonhap news agency that the rocket did appear to be carrying a satellite. It is not clear whether a satellite was successfully put into space.
Not to worry, the UN jumped into action by approving a Japanese government request for an emergency session later in the day in New York. That should scare them. They'll probably Kim's daily shippment of caviar, champagne and cigars for one whole day after this latest stunt.
What can you do with a reclusive, xenophobic, backward little country armed to the teeth and run exclusively by a crazed lunatic whose every whim is law? Kim might be crazy but he's not stupid. He knows 'sanctions' don't apply to him. He knows he has the Chinese and Russians to on speed-dial to block the slighest talk of any talk sanctions imposed upon him.
While in Prague, President Obama issued a written statement regarding the missle launch, With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations.
Don't expect that anything will change with North Korea. It's just business as usual in this little dance with North Korea. International aggression is never stopped with rhetoric, and finger wagging is all the International community has in available in their arsenal right now. Tsk, Tsk.
(GeoEye Satellite Image from Fox News)