January 6, 2016

While everyone's worrying about the Middle East, North Korea's insane leaders have been developing their nuclear capability, and appear to have sent a message Tuesday night.

Via CNN:

North Korea says it has successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test, which if confirmed, will be a first for the reclusive regime and a significant advancement for its military ambitions.

A hydrogen bomb is more powerful than plutonium weapons, which is what North Korea used in its three previous underground nuclear tests.

"If there's no invasion on our sovereignty we will not use nuclear weapon," the North Korean state news agency said. "This H-bomb test brings us to a higher level of nuclear power."

A senior U.S. administration told CNN it could take days to obtain the scientific data to determine whether this was a successful test.

CNN is also reporting that the UN Security Council will be meeting Wednesday morning to discuss the implications of the claim, assuming it's true.

Some are skeptical.

"North Korea appears to have had a difficult time mastering even the basics of a fission weapon," he said. "This suggests that unless North Korea has had help from outside experts, it is unlikely that it has really achieved a hydrogen/fusion bomb since its last nuclear test, just short of three years ago."

Apparently Kim Jong Un wants a "conversation with President Obama.

Jasper Kim with the Center for Conflict Management at Ewha Women's University in Seoul said the test is an attempt to draw attention to North Korea on the international stage.

"What Kim Jong Un wants is a conversation with the U.S. President," he said. "That's why the test is happening now. That's why the stakes are so high."

Hmmm. People who want conversations generally do not begin them by detonating explosives powerful enough to generate the same force as a 5.1 earthquake.

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