North Korean Missile Launch: Merely a Sign of More Trouble to Come

North Korea is launching a missile. One it claims is for putting a satellite into space. Yeah, whatever. Most of us know that a missile powerful enough to put a satellite into orbit is also powerful enough to put a nuke into Kansas City. Or anywhere else on the planet, for that matter.

So we can all agree (for the most part) this rocket launch in just over a week is a not-so-thinly veiled threat.

Are the North Koreans going to drop a nuke on us? I really, really doubt it. So does everyone else who matters. In fact, Defense Secretary Gates made it clear there isn't any military action planned.

(Side note: I'm linking to Fox News against my better judgement. I'll explain below).

While the Fox News program makes it sound as if we're not able to shoot down the missile, we totally could. Admiral Keating said we were prepared to, and I don't doubt for a minute we have the capability to shoot that tin can out of the sky.

Political will to shoot it down? THAT is what's lacking. The Obama Administration isn't prepared to commit an act of war, and I think that's the right stance. North Korea knows no good will come from open violence, so they aren't going to commit any. Why should we shoot first?

We shot first in Iraq, and see where that got us? Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.

As this AP story says, the issue is the breakdown in disarmament talks. Once the missile is launched, North Korea is in violation of UN agreements on balistic activity. Then, the world can either ignore this blatant disregard for international law...or add sanctions against North Korea.

North Korea made it clear that if sanctions happen, they won't continue with the nuclear disarmament talks. THAT is a problem...but not one we can solve easily by starting a war.

Rock and a hard place. This is why all Presidents turn grey and wrinkly after only a few years in office.