This just in from our Oceania Bureau Chief who watches Asia, Australia and Oceania for us. We asked for his thoughts on what is going on in North Korea; are they continuing to try to get Bush to negotiate one-on-one?
“I think they want to indirectly pressure the US by scaring its “allies” and want to give China a reason/need to return to the US with pressure for 1 on 1 talks. But I see the test threat as sort of reassuring in that they wouldn’t say they were going to test if they could test and were planning to do so imminently. Pakistan and India have not tested since the late 90’s. I think they can’t yet test but are feeling hungry going into winter and desperate as Iraq, Darfur, Iran and Mid-east seem to be the world’s focus. It isn’t beyond Kim Jong Il — the Michael Jackson of geopolitics– to act up now just to rain on S. Korea’s UN Sect.Gen parade. That really may play into the timing. Hell, they chose the 4th of July to shoot 6 missiles over Japan. Director Kim watches the calendar and the camera.â€