Beating the War Drums and Rattling the Sabers

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has reiterated that pressure, not only dialogue, is necessary in dealing with North Korea's missile and nuclear threat.

Abe, speaking to a parliamentary session Monday following North Korea's massive military parade and botched missile launch, said: "Needless to say, diplomatic effort is important to maintain peace. But dialogue for the sake of having dialogue is meaningless."

  AP

For as long as I can remember, North Korea has been having massive military parades and conducting missile trials (some successful). Has the actual threat to Japan increased lately? And if so, why is that? Could it have anything to do with the United States' new president?

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence says the "era of strategic patience is over" with North Korea, expressing impatience with the unwillingness of the North Korean regime to move toward ridding itself of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

[...]

He says there was a "period of patience" over the years but "the era of strategic patience is over." He says the Trump administration hopes their clarity will be received in North Korea, adding the U.S. and its allies will achieve its objectives through "peaceable means or ultimately by whatever means are necessary" to protect South Korea and stabilize the region.

Perhaps we - and by we I mean the Trump administration - will give them a day or two and then bomb them, like we did with Syria and Afghanistan. We are not a patient people.

Remember when people were saying not to worry about Trump, because he had level headed Mike Pence for balance?

I think I see Pence's problem. His nostrils have collapsed. He's not getting enough oxygen.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.