North Korea: moment of explosion or bluff? And why Kim Jong Un is not crazy.

The Norks are doing it in the usual style, which is not to say much if there is no quote:

We formally inform the White House and Pentagon that the ever-escalating U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK and its reckless nuclear threat will be smashed by the strong will of all the united service personnel and people and cutting-edge smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear strike means of the DPRK and that the merciless operation of its revolutionary armed forces in this regard has been finally examined and ratified.

And the added advice to the White House:

The U.S. had better ponder over the prevailing grave situation.

There is much to ponder indeed. The empty rhetoric is rising in pitch to serious heights, and who can really say how empty it is?

Professor Stephan Haggard thinks he can say it and he does. Not that there is much new in what he has to offer and, besides, the article contains its share of "probably" and "possibly". And his view of the NK being able to claim a victory in the staring down contest is somewhat soothing:

The result is that North Korea's exercises and threats of retaliation have been successful in deterring attack, even though none was coming. The regime can claim some sort of victory in staring down American threats in its two big political meetings this week, the timing of which suggest that some of the rhetoric has been driven by domestic politics.

Indeed, the prevailing opinion is that the threats are mostly empty ones, but when a spoiled brat who was raised as a heir to a barely human dictator, is raving, who can predict the outcome? Who can say with confidence that a nervous facial tic of the brat wouldn't be interpreted by an overeager general as a launch command?

Well, let's wait.