Nodong

Various sources are reporting that North Korea has launched a series of missiles during the last day, including The NYT, CNN, and WaPo. As the country has demonstrated that it has the capability and materials to assemble fission bombs (though I haven't seen any indication they can make fusion bombs... yet), and is believed to either have, or be close to having, the capability to fit those warheads into their missiles, this is seen, understandably, as seriously threatening to US and Japanese security.

I'd like to take a moment to urge calm, and suggest another interpretation. According to the Post article,

Military officials told South Korea's Yonhap news agency that they appeared to be Scud-type missiles and described them as more dangerous than the short-range weapons fired Thursday. Government sources in Japan and South Korea told reporters that the missiles may have been Nodongs.

My suspicion here is that Kim Jong Il is simply embarrassed by having a phallic weapon called "Nodong." I think he should be approached with sympathy and understanding. Let him express his anger and humiliation about the Nodong situation.

Maybe offer him some toys, or Viagra, or something.

I'll bet with a kind explanation that no one really judges him as less than a man because of his Nodong, he'd settle down.