Laughing about North Korea

A couple of weeks ago, North Korea tested some long-range nuclear missiles. Nothing has changed, basically on the ground since the end of 2002. Seoul is within artillery range of the North Korean army. People there assume that the city would be reduced to rubble if there were any military action to deal with the North, who continue to develop their nuclear bombs and the capacity to deliver them. Clearly, if they had the capacity for a nuclear strike on Japan, or even Alaska (if they ever get their rockets to work), they would have an even greater deterrence power.

It's interesting, though, that the point that was once the preserve of nutcases on various forums is now posed by people like Jon Snow, presenter of Channel 4 News: doesn't this prove that if you have nuclear weapons, you are safe from US attack.

And then there are those smartarses like the people on The Now Show (BBC Radio 4, repeated Saturday at 12:30, or you should be able to listen again on their website for the next few days), who take the chance to make cheap cracks at the US. I know it's only a comedy show, but if London were in the same position as Seoul, I don't think we'd be laughing quite so loudly.