AN EXPLOSION WAITING TO HAPPEN

Dealing with North Korea is like trying to handle an obstinate juvenile delinquent hell-bent on breaking the law; no amount of rehabilitation will work.

North Korea's rulers have perfected the art of mass propaganda and have filled the entire citizenry with such hatred for the United States and the leaders of South Korea that tens of thousands of North Koreans would rather die than divert one cent of the North's military budget to help feed their starving population. Kim Jung Il, the North's leader, is considered a god by his people and it isn't a stretch to view the entire nation as one gigantic religious cult, albeit one with no desire for peace or tranquility or interest in the afterlife. That's why North Korea is so dangerous.

Yesterday's mortal shelling of a South Korean island was the latest incident in a chain of provocative attacks by the North on South Korea. Some claim the incident was meant to bolster the militaristic spirits of the North Korean people as the country goes through a period of changing in their leadership – from Kim Jung Il to his son, Kim Jung Un. Others see the North's intrusions as saber-rattling to discourage attempts by the outside world to stop North Korea's nuclear weapons development. Whichever view is more accurate, there is no denying that North Korea's activities are unsettling and provide a legitimate reason for heightened concern.

Given North Korea's intractable nature, it's hard to see anything but the concept of containment as having any chance for real success. Attacking the North militarily would unleash a devastating second Korean war that would result in the loss of life for millions in both North and South Korea. Thousands of American soldiers would suffer a similar fate. Nor can Americans expect that diplomacy will one day yield a peaceful North. The North Koreans are too steeped in paranoia and militarism for trust in diplomacy to take root there and the world doesn't possess the number of therapist it would take to deprogram an entire population.

We can only hope that containment works, because North Korea is a powder-keg waiting to explode, and you won't want to be there if it does.