It Makes a Difference to the Sheep

DPRK: EVEN A NON-AGGRESSION TREATY WON'T WORK:

In its strongest reaction yet to the war in Iraq, North Korea said today that only by arming itself with a "tremendous military deterrent" could the country guarantee its security.

The statement, coming after more than two weeks of relative quiet since the start of the Iraq war, flatly declared that North Korea had abandoned faith even in the kinds of security guarantees that it has repeatedly demanded of the United States in recent months.

"The Iraqi war shows that to allow disarming through inspection does not help avert a war but rather sparks it," the statement said. "This suggests that even the signing of a nonaggression treaty with the U.S. would not help avert a war."

In short, the DRPK appears to be getting the message that the Bush Administration isn't like its predecessor: it means business and will follow through on threats. The important question is, however, what will the DPRK do with this new-found knowledge? Come to the bargaining table ready to offer concessions, or go down fighting? If propaganda is any guide, it appears to be the latter:

"In today's era," the editorial said, "the gun barrel should be placed over the hammer and sickle," and North Korea must pool its energies "into strengthening the revolutionary military from the principle of giving priority to the military over the workers."