Daily Lessons from Life 08 April 2012 - N.Korea rocket on launch pad

Went for a long jog and walk this evening after a BIG BIG lunch. Felt good about it as it must be around 20-21km over 3 hours!

"N.Korea rocket on launch pad - AFP 08 April 2012

TONGCHANG-RI, North Korea: North Korea's long-range rocket is on its launch platform, AFP reporters said Sunday, as the secretive regime again insisted it was to send a peaceful satellite and not a missile.

The North organised an unprecedented visit for foreign reporters to Tongchang-ri space centre in an effort to show that its Unha-3 rocket is not a disguised ballistic missile, as claimed by the United States and its allies.

Communist North Korea says it will launch the satellite for peaceful scientific research between April 12 and 16 to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of founding leader Kim Il-Sung. His birthday is on April 15.

But Washington, Japan and South Korea have all condemned the move, saying any missile would contravene United Nations sanctions aimed at curbing North Korea's missile programme. China, the North's major ally, has urged restraint.

The journalists were able to observe the rocket, painted in white with sky blue lettering, though there were no indications when it would blast off.

There are also heightened fears that the novice administration of the young Kim could be readying for a third nuclear weapons test.

Japan has deployed missile batteries in central Tokyo and dispatched destroyers.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has given the green light to shoot down the rocket if it threatens Japan's territory."

A lot of grand-standing? Or it this for real? For goodness sake, I hope it will pass without any 'accidental' misfire of the rocket or the intercepting missiles that are supposed to bring down any 'off-course' North Korean Rocket!

Lessons for me are:

1. diplomacy nor skilled negotiators will not work when one side is blind and deaf to reasons.

2. when the stake is high, very high, most 3rd parties will voice whatever they would love to see happen but will do nothing when those wishes are ignored by the recalcitrant North Korea, who knows the rules of the game very well. The challenge with this situation is: what if the North Koreans are wrong or have a mishap in their execution of their game plan? It is always a remote chance there. May I wish them well in their launch of the rocket!.

3. as clear as the need to booster the image of the newly installed leader, the 3rd generation of the Kim 'dynasty', these 'provocative actions' WILL get carried out. Such is the way of a totalitarian state. Consolidation of the power of the ruler overruled everyone and everything else. Lets hope they get it right with the rocket. As for the next atomic bomb, the 'allied' can take a higer risk by having the 1st strike - if China and Russian agreed! Which will be highly unlikely though!!

Long live the Kim 'dynasty' - at least for now, for show!!