Today, I came home after a hard day that started off with killing cockroaches in front of my door (again) and that ended with being squeezed into a packed tourist bus after having to go to the station for (scanner) shopping. And just when I was getting ready to unpack my new scanner and try it out, I glimpsed at the news… Here’s a link to the (English) Japan Times, just in case you don’t know what I’m referring to: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/08/29/national/north-korea-fires-missile-japan-reportedly-breaks-falls-pacific/
Apparently, around 6:06 this morning, dear leader Kim Jong-un has fired an intercontinental missile somewhere into the Pacific, straight across Japan. And since then, North Korea’s action has been condemned virtually everywhere from Japan to the US (who say they stand 100% behind Japan), to China, and the EU, and even Russia is on our side for once.
And I’m standing here without knowing what to think, really. In my view it’s unlikely that North Korea will attack Japan directly, since Japan with their doctrine of “self-defense” will not shoot first. However, if they attack either South Korea or – gods forbid – the US itself, then Japan will probably get drawn into the conflict one way or the other, not something I’d like to see up close.
The main problem is that both Kim and Trump are essentially overgrown children who like to throw all their toys out of the pram, and who are more or less immune to any reasoning or advice. And it does scare me as to what could happen if they are both unleashed at the same time… Nothing the world needs right now (or ever), really.
Below is a graffiti in Vienna by the artist Lush Sux. I’m not sure it has a name, but let’s call it “Kim Jong Trump”. 