re: #518 darthstar

A 25 second minute of silence. Almost as short as Kim Jong Il himself. What that’s called is protocol. You have to recognize the passing of Kim Jong Il if you want his successor to join the international community. We’re at a point where we may see a sea change in North Korea (if Kim Jong Il was, in fact, the one factor keeping that country as rogue-ish as it was). If his son is more western-friendly, we could see conflicts with two members of the Bush Axis of Evil become things of the past.

Until that time comes we have to deal with the present in that North Korea remains a totalitarian and belligerent state which poses a threat to South Korea and Japan. The only hope for change is a bit of “faith” that Kim Jong Eun will offer a significant shift in a North Korean state of mind. I find that difficult to grasp given the strong cultist and isolationist nature of the North Korean state.