Coincidence

I'm sure I'm the only one...in fact I must be because I haven't heard these two news stories linked together anywhere yet..so basically my crazy insane side is rearing its ugly head, but if you would, please just stay with me a minute.

News Story #1 - North Korea says in not so many words that they will attempt a nuclear strike against the United States if they are attacked.

News Story #2 - The US Navy is trailing a North Korean cargo ship known for smuggling illegal weapons, and according to recent UN sanctions can board the vessel at any time.

Is this scary to any one else? If that isn't scary enough, try adding this...

News Story #3 - North Korea has stepped up testing on rockets and nukes for the last 8 months.

So, here's the vision that keeps flashing in that nutty side of my brain. Does anyone else have a feeling that the weapons smuggling ship being caught and trailed at this time is more than a coincidence? If the US stopped and boarded that ship, do you think the North Koreans would just shrug it off, or would they consider it an attack? Do you see where I'm going here?

I can't help but think that North Korea has put together a rocket that they are confident in, and they have an itchy trigger finger. And I know what you're thinking. Carl, you say dismissively, if they did that it would be suicide because we would retaliate and North Korea would be reduced to a big hole in the ground where Communists used to live.

But would it? Is our new Messiah-in-Chief going to give the order to eliminate North Korea and kill millions in a nuclear strike? Get real.

First, he's the peace President, and he has been on a USA apology tour for the first 4 months of his presidency. He is dominated by his image and his perception, and the people who got him elected would be very eager to blame the US for any disasters that befall it. A retaliation against North Korea would run in opposition to everything Obama is and where he came from.

If those factors aren't enough, this would be a chance for China to flex its muscles and maybe emerge as a 2nd superpower. What if after a North Korean strike China says that it won't stand for any retaliation. China is on the UN Security Council and nothing goes through without their approval. Would Obama show the Chinese why we are the only remaining superpower, or would he cower? I see nothing in him, his rhetoric, or his past to suggest that he would stand up.

Lastly, but I would wager not entirely out of the realm of his thinking, what kind of environmental costs would be paid in a strike on North Korea? The environmental movement in the form of the Green Party supports the Obama administration steadfastly, and in true "one issue party" form would encourage the administration to show restaint so as not to compound the envirnmental damage of nuclear war.

Long story short, I have no confidence that the Obama administration has what it takes to handle this situation, and I think Kim Jong Il is banking on that. Since I have been playing too much online poker lately, let me put it this way: the North Koreans are about to go all in, and I don't think Obama has what it takes to call, let alone raise.

But then again, maybe I'm nuts. What do you think?