N Korea conducts 5th nuclear test

If it weren't for the poor workers sacrificed in the 'workers' paradise', I would hope this was an accident setting back the programme decades if not permanently.

If North Korea didn't exist, you'd have to invent it.

The only danger to Li'l Dumplin and his Stuffed Mummy cronies comes from the fact they may get sanctioned down to only having the China Disneyland ripoff as a vacation spot.

The DRNK is going to self implode soon. I just hope that when it happens that it will not involve SK or Japan.

The situation in North Korea is out of hand. I don't think they understand our policy of Mutual Assured Destruction, or they don't believe we will follow through with it. Japan WILL be protected. The Chinese, on the other hand, are getting nervous. They know our bombers are out there, waiting. Let's see, do we entrust this situation to a former Secretary of State or to a schmuck who thinks Putin is a great leader?

If North Korea didn't exist, you'd have to invent it.

It exists, so you don't have to invent it.

Last time NK did that Kumamoto had a huge quake a few weeks later. Are we putting our money on Tokai or Nankai next?

I know Japan has a lot of seismic activity, but the fact north Korea are nuclear bombing the ground can't be helping.

The man is Nuts and completely pulling the trumpet out of the rest of the world. No one is doing anything abouT it. It's iran all over again.

Bomb him, arrest him, be done with him.

I guess the best we can hope for is that the US, and possibly China, have built up a comprehensive intelligence framework on NK that will allow them to successfully launch a decapitation strike against the NK leadership in the future if things detiriorate further

CrazyJoe: "I don't think they understand our policy of Mutual Assured Destruction,"

Actually, I think they understand it very well, and I think you know that, too. If they know it, and are still doing it, they are even more frightening and it becomes even more necessary to mollify them and give into their demands. The only alternative is war, and I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that Young Kim and Co. would MUCH rather go out with a big bang and possibly start World War III than fade out quietly or give up.

The kids a chip off the old block.

Outrider: "The kids a chip off the old block."

Indeed. I remember some being hopeful that succession might mean a step towards unification and/or better relations between NK and other countries, but obviously Li'l Kim is just as bad or worse. That, or else the military stepped in when Papa Kim died and Li'l Kim is either a puppet or has no choice but to do as they want or risk being overthrown.

NK is like brain cancer for Asia. You can cut it out, but at the price of probably killing the patient. If we ever go after these lunatics, they will have time to level S Korea and probably parts of Japan before their capacity was taken down enough to render them helpless. It is a no win.

If we don't deal with them, then sooner or later they will freak out and do something insane. If we do deal with them, they still do something insane. Advanced Brain Cancer, that is the reality of NK.

Not much attention to him lately (over-shadowed by another cancer called ISIL), so the chubby kid throw another tantrum again to get attentions.

Again:

North Korea ain't going anywhere so long as China wants it that way. Why?

Because China will never allow on its border a unified Korea with US bases in it.

It's possible China could help North Korea with 1950's-style military support, flooding the region with troops.

It's also possible they've become a post-modern consumerist society, that could face a revolt for covering for Kim JongUn. A real revolt that knocks down the PRC, not a pseudo-revolt with hippies and flowers. So they may not like to risk that.

Just keep up the pressure economically on NK in hopes that China actually moves on the issue. In addition, start making announcements for more defensive weaponry to counter NK, something China won't like as well.

The point is, make China get off its arse and start contributing.

Leave North Korea alone. It is not a threat in the Korean peninsula, the presence of the US forces is, and it will continue to be and divide the two nations.