North Korea

This unstable, impoverished and reclusive country, having deliberately sunk a South Korean warship with considerable loss of life, has now issued, in the face of modest military exercises in the Sea of Japan designed to remind it not to be irresponsible, wild threats to start a war and use its nuclear ‘deterrent’.

Washington has been dismissive. When faced with similar threats President Clinton told them any such lunacy would ‘mean the end of their country’. Indeed this is so. North Korea would be obliterated in a nuclear counterstrike within minutes of pressing the button. China has no doubt whispered this in Pyongyang’s ear. Its own patience is fast running out.