North Korea has threatened war if the U. S., South Korea, or Japan were to shoot down its satellite launch which is widely believed actually to be the test of a long-range missile:
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea put its armed forces on standby Monday and threatened “a war” if anyone tries to shoot down what regional powers suspect is an imminent test-firing of a long-range missile.
Pyongyang also cut off a military hot line with the South, causing a complete shutdown of their border and stranding hundreds of South Koreans working in an industrial zone in the North Korean border city of Kaesong.
Monday’s warning — the latest barrage of threats from the communist regime — came as U.S. and South Korean troops kicked off annual war games across the South, exercises the North has condemned as preparation for an invasion. Pyongyang last week threatened South Korean passenger planes flying near its airspace during the drills.
Analysts say the regime is trying to grab President Barack Obama’s attention as his administration formulates its North Korea policy.
As I’ve noted before North Korea is to international relations what Alex Forest was to one night stands: it will not be ignored.
Would North Korea have a cause of war if the U. S., South Korea, or Japan were to shoot down its missile? Of course it would. North Korea and South Korea have technically been at war for more than half a century and Japan has had a casus belli against North Korea for decades for firing missiles through its air space and seizing and holding its citizens. If every country were to go to war every time it had cause, there would be nothing but war. Fortunately, cooler heads prevail and countries only go to war when it’s in their national interests to do so or when that’s perceived to be the case.
Would war against, say, Japan be in North Korea’s interest? That’s an interesting question. Frankly, I doubt it unless they’re pursuing a Duchy of Grand Fenwick strategy.
UPDATE (James Joyner): I couldn’t resist adding in the Bugs Bunny cartoon to illustrate the post. After all, “Of course you realize, this means war!” was a famous catchphrase of his.
