Not much of diary. Just saw this link on TPM...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/...
There haven't been any recommended diaries or front page stories on North Korea that I'm aware of, and I trust very much the knowledge and opinions of the people here, and would appreciate kind of an open thread on this situation.
I have to say that I'm of the opinion that this rhetorical meltdown is of greater severity than N. Korea's most recent tough talk, to the point where North Korea is making a statement that can be interpreted as authorizing a nuclear first strike (depends how to interpret their claim that they will counter "US aggression"). At what point does the USA and/or S. Korea have to act preemtively. I'm more than a little concerned, frankly....
3:55 PM PT: cnn has more quotes from NK statement, including "The moment of explosion is approaching fast."
and Hagel saying "It only takes being wrong once, and I don't want to be the secretary of defense who was wrong once,"
http://www.cnn.com/...
4:32 PM PT: Lead story on NBC News.