It Makes a Difference to the Sheep

Thanks for the link!

Completely unrelated, the other day I've been wondering about China's reaction to the big mushroom cloud mountain demolition that happened in North Korea the other day.

What's China's stake in the whole thing? How would effect them if indeed the DPRK had tested a nuclear weapon on their own soil? Wouldn't this be bad for China's interests?

I don't want to sound like too much of a conspiracy theorist, but they're probably North Korea's only friend, and they obviously would have the upper hand in the relationship. And there had been rumors of the DPRK testing nukes soon. Could China have an interest in covering something like that up, hypothetically speaking?
 

The PRC might have an interest in downplaying (covering up?) a nuclear test by North Korea but it would have to balance any such interest against the fact that a cover-up would subject PRC citizens in the area to potential health hazards via radioactive fallout (which they might be able to alleviate or avoid if their government warned them about it) and, more significantly, the fact that satellite, seismographic and other types of evidence can be gathered from across the globe that would clearly contradict a PRC-DPRK coverup of an actual nuclear test.

In this case, it looks as if North Korea was telling the truth.
 

I think it might be one of these "diplomatic lies" you mentioned earlier in your "Every Cloud has a Silver Lining..." post, so that the harsh realities of going to war can be avoided.

It's really difficult to match up the DPRK's usual vitriol with what you hear from them now. Anything I saw before took every opportunity imaginable to take rhetorical stabs at the US and the western world in general. Now it's like they are afraid to offend ANYBODY.

I think nobody in their right mind would think it a good idea to even consider a general war in East Asia right now- it would make no sense. If, hypothetically, the North Koreans had developed a nuclear weapon, tested it etc, and this fact was placed next to our sitting President's track record, vows and spirit, the U.S. would probably be compelled to take military action, however horrible the cost.