. . . and the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air . . .

[kellyrfineman]

Happy Independence Day, USA!

Although to be honest, I'm not super-fond of fireworks.

And on this particular 4th of July, I'm a bit concerned that at least some of the rockets and bombs were sent up by North Korea.

Comments

[katsie]

Yes, I'd rather that they didn't participate in the festivities in such a manner!

Happy Fourth!

[kellyrfineman]

Ooh - what a lovely icon!

[lizjonesbooks]

Yeahhh.... I keep thinking-- don't they understand that there is no way they're going to come out on top of any confrontation they start? And their people are suffering so much already. I hope they don't bring anyone else down with them when they go, but bloodshed seems likely.

[kellyrfineman]

The short answer to your question is that nearly everyone in North Korea doesn't understand that. Rather like Jim Carrey's character in The Truman Show, the population sees and hears only what Kim Jong Il (and a select group of generals) wants them to see and hear. They are fed a steady diet of propaganda, and have no reason to believe it's not true. Even the ones who manage to intercept information from China or South Korea don't really have enough information to put everything into context. And all indications are that Kim Jong Il, unlike his father, doesn't really have the background or training to understand the proper context either; it's not like he received his schooling outside of North Korea, either, and he is, in many ways, a spoiled rich kid who is used to getting his way in all things.

[lizjonesbooks]

That actually makes a lot of sense. from this standpoint, he just looks like a delusional megalomaniac.
(well, Ok, so he is anyhow. But the particulars make it more comprehensible).