[longfellowsmuse]

here’s my prediction. Missiles will be launched, NK will call it a successful military operation and show phony pictures of US destruction. We will do nothing and declare it only a test launch. We will then give them food aid. The End.

[Longbow1969]

here’s my prediction. Missiles will be launched, NK will call it a successful military operation and show phony pictures of US destruction

I wouldn't be surprised if they close this thing out with a "provocative", "unhelpful" medium range missile launch that, in the grand scheme of things, is mostly meaningless. I doubt they will claim they hit us, more likely they will just say they scared us into temporarily holding off on our evil invasion attempt.

We will do nothing and declare it only a test launch. We will then give them food aid. The End.

Would not be a surprise if the US or South Korea ended up agreeing to give them something. That is part of the reason they feel compelled to ratchet up the threats. In their past experience, the bigger the temper tantrum the better the food aid, fuel oil, etc, they get in the end.

[trubolotta]

I agree in general with your assessment. This is a practice run to see what response the US can muster. China is the prime observer and has its own designs for a coordinated challenge. China needs more time, as does Iran, the Arab states, Egypt, Venezuela, Sudan and others as they see the opportunity materialize. The US has not bottomed its military yet and these “incidents” are useful for gaging the degradation of US assets and resolve.