Holy Crap

" 'If the U.S. imperialists ignite a war on the Korean Peninsula, the war will turn into a nuclear war,' [North Korea's official] Rodong [Sinmun newspaper] said. 'As a consequence, the Koreans in the north and south and the people in Asia and the rest of the world will suffer horrifying nuclear disasters.' "

and

" 'Crushing the U.S. plot to attack North Korea is a very important issue related to peace and safety of Asia and the world, the existence and future of mankind,' Rodong said. "

Does North Korea know something we don't? Are the threats against Iraq a smokescreen for an attack against North Korea? Or is it really just a case of North Korean propaganda? Either way, the casual mention of the obliteration of mankind bothers me somewhat, you know? I read Hiroshima. I'll tell you one thing, in the event of nuclear war, I'd rather be right in the center of the first strike zone, because anything other than instant death is a nightmare. Maybe I'm crazy and paranoid, but the US's apparent lack of concern about nuclear proliferation in North Korea mixed with its obvious zeal to thump Iraq for mustard gas violations seems dangerous. I mean, priorities, people?