Last week the North Koreans defied pretty much everybody by launching what most nations considered to be a test of an ICBM vehicle, and what the Norks insisted was a satellite dedicated to playing paeans to Leaders both Dear and Great.
Yesterday, China and Russia finally got around to allowing as how, yes, this was probably a regrettable thing at the hallowed halls of the UN Security Council.
Today the Norks have used that “unbearable insult” as a reason to restart their weapons-grade plutonium factory at Yongbyong:
North Korea has vowed to walk out on international talks to end its nuclear programme, and said it would restore its disabled nuclear reactor.
The unusually strong statement follows criticism by the UN Security Council of its recent rocket launch, which critics say was a long-range missile test.
Longtime watchers of Pyongyang say that this is a test for the new administration in Washington. To me it feels like negotiating with a two-year old. Who wants nukes.
The North Korean government really only wants two things: Survival, and hard cash. They hope to guarantee the first by possessing a deterrent nuclear capability, and the second by selling some of it off.
That cargo will have to move by sea. And if comes to it, we’ll be waiting.
Ah, but will we? I fervently hope so. I fear we will do nothing except once again go to the UN for yet another impotent resolution. All while the “cargo” moves to its destination.
Sigh.