Success North Korean Style

This is a curious definition of success.....

"The successful missile test was part of a regular military exercise conducted by our military to boost our self-defence," Yonhap news agency quoted a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying on KRT state TV. Defiant North Korea vows to fire more missiles

Except the missles fell short, crashing into the sea of Japan. Strange definition of success.

But being one of the last post-Stalin autarky's perhaps this was good old capitalism at play. State capitalism that is, marketing its only export.

North Korea’s test-launch of several types of missile Wednesday was an export blitz, some experts say. Missile exports are one of Pyongyang’s few sources of hard currency since the heavily militarized nation has precious few other export industries. North Korea has been exporting Scud missiles to the Middle East and Africa for up to US$4 million a pop. Pyongyang's Missile Launch 'Was Sales Pitch'

Of course there are those who see this as a more sinister geopolitcs Kim-Jong -il style. And they wouldn't be wrong. Still the point is the same. It was a sales show.

One, if the missiles are fired directly at the U.S., it may lead to misperception on the part of Washington, and Pyongyang may be faced with an unintended situation (of a U.S. military strike). Instead, by targeting the U.S.’s greatest ally, Japan, North Korea can influence Japanese public opinion to exert pressure on the U.S. This is why the North fired but blew up mid-way the missile that can reach U.S. mainland. Although the analysis from the U.S. is that Pyongyang’s last test-launch did not succeed, it is unlikely to be a failure. Through the launch, North Korea clearly showed the U.S. it has the capability to reach U.S. mainland, and then exploded the missile at mid-stage. Pyongyang will now be watching how public opinion in Japan will be formed, and whether this will exert pressure on the U.S. to engage in direct dialogue with North Korea.[Guest Column] Kim Jong-il’s Missile Crisis Strategy

Unfortunately further tests or even the sales of missles, say to Iran, will only cause the USA to increase its military spending on Son of Star Wars; BMD.

Everett Dolman, a professor at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, said the U.S. is not in a position to protect itself from a surprise missile attack."Right now, the U.S. has an immature system capable of protecting a few locations with questionable reliability," he said. "With American military forces stretched thin in the global war on terror and funding for the services in a downward spiral, it seems unlikely that America can field a reliable defense against a North Korean missile attack in the next half decade or more. Expert: Missiles real threat to US

Of course that may be part of the clever ploy of China to allow its puppet regime to further drive the US into debt to its largest creditor. Nah.....

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