TOUGH SPOT .... the West cannot move militarily without approval from China and Russia...how do yu get that.! The West has to improve its chess game....seems late to ask that but we are being outmoved....constantly in check..... The powers haven't been working hard enuf and now we all may pay the price.

North Korea leaders need to have their heads examined,they are busy spending millions of dollars fighting enemy shadows in a non existing battlefield,a fight which is easier won in a round table dialogue and yet her citizens are dying of hunger and inadequate medication.

The North Korean nuclear explosion is to be deplored, but why is it we condemn them and maybe Iran later, whilst it is alright for the USA, UK , India and say France to blow up parts of the world at a whim? Remember that France ignored such condemnation as well, and yet destroyed part of the fragile Pacific Ocean, well away of course from France. Violence begets violence and the so-called reductions by the US and other countries results in such countries still retaining nuclear devices.

It has shocked every body.

It is important to remember the geopolitical scene. With the election of a new president it is only logical that China would not want North Korea not to be doing this. Obviously any real threat can and would be quelled before there was any danger. Mark my words, North Korea is testing Obama and China is reaping the benefits by getting a read on how the new guy plays the game. I'll bet there is an "increase" in sanctions regarding unnecessary items. Food, water and electricity will still be provided to Kim (not the people mind you). We are looking at a repeat of 2006 here people.

"The Chinese government expresses firm opposition to this." Well, maybe pigs will fly. I will not hold my breath for the swine airshow but this is the first time I can remember China taking issue in public to an action from North Korea. Talk is cheap, let's see if China actually will sign an accord with other nations and let's see if China actually takes ACTION against the North Korean regime.

China's support of North Korea is waning, so North Korea is desperately trying to provoke the West to take action against it so that China will be forced to intervene more strongly in support of North Korea. Unless and until China says "Enough is enough. Grow up, North Korea", this game will continue.

North Korea is full of hot air. Here we have a country that allows its own people to die from hunger and poverty, yet is willing to spend money on flexing its muscle, demonstratig its military prowess. North Korea must need money. They are trying to blackmail the west. We must not be threatened by them. The United States should have sent more arms to Japan and South Korea, rather than waste all the money it did squander on the stupid war in Iraq, and let us not forget the senseless waste of lives. There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but there are weapons of mass destruction in North Korea. Does this tell you anything? America, get tough!

Gerry Watson, and Jack Flannigan, make to good points about this whole ordeal. We don't have a real concrete move we can make on this right now, everything seems to be in China's court. The US is in a sticky situation right now with this, And remember the cry wolf story, one time the cry is going to be real.

The problem is that nobody knows what the North is up to. War is not an option because it would destabilize the whole region and would not be like fighting the Iraqi war. War with Iran would put a strain on out military but they would not be too much of a challenge. Korea is a very different situation and could result in a half a million causalities and that is why everyone is being so careful here. I think we have to talk our way through this one.

China is the culprit here. It is fooling the US as though it is supporting the International coalition to contain nukes and North Korea. In reality china is allowing North Korea to test nukes. It could even be a proxy chinese nuke test.

North Korea would collapse in less than a month and will be ready to get rid of, if China is sincere to dismantling nukes from NK.

But China is playing with the west, keeping them engaged, while silently, growing itself as a military power that can challenge the US army in Taiwan.

The key to denuke NK is to make china not double cross, which it is doing now. However, it looks not so easy , atleast without Russian support to America.

It's creepy to look at in this area.. that China and Russia had an underground agreement – be it just mutual? I'm not sure but still I don't think N.Korea is literally going to be declaring at WAR with everyone by itself. I believe in the game of chess, one chess piece should provoke, and so.. others will be prepared to react and South Korea will be the deciding ChessBoard.

I think that it is time for the security council to step up and put pressure on the North Koreans to knock it off. More economic sanctions will only furthur the poverty that exists in North Korea.

NK needs to get with the program and the rest of world. China has gone capitalist and has to a large extent opened their society. NK needs to do the same or it will eventually fail internally.

Very complex. Seoul (capital & largest city of S Kor) well within N Kor artillery range and nuclear warheads intolerable. Only real solution is internal overthrow of N Kor govt with Chinese invading from n and S Koreans from s plus US air-sea support. China would have to particupate in occupation govt. Likely some contacts with N Kor military officers in preparation for coup & occupation.

the western civilization tries to hide itself from others. i don't believe that weterners have the right to produce the nukes and ballistic missiles. the brain we got is created by allah not by americans or europeans. so, let other nations be strong since the dialogue among strong counterparties can secure the international peace

I'm sorry, but I don't understand all the posturing over this nuclear testing of N. Korea. How many other counties have nuclear capabilities, and in my opinion, are far more dangerous and destructive than N. Korea. However, I'm not a polotician or beaurocrat, so I guess there's a lot that I don't understand, right?

I truly believe that China is behind this and using North Korea to distract us from their plans to expand their influence militarily and economically in the region.

I love my country except for the fact that it's right next to North Korea. I've always sympathized with North Korea but I just can't take it anymore. I feel sick and unsafe all the time because today or tomorrow could be the last day of my life.

North Korea is desparate. What options do they have in order to make money?

In this crisis, the position of China is more important than before, U.S. and other U.N. members have to coopreate with China to solve this issue. In Taiwan, half of politicians thank US is best alliance and gives military aid to Taiwan if invasion by China, even there is no official diplomatic relations between U.S. and Taiwan. But this kind of thinking is changed, China getting stronger in national community is not avoidable. Hostility toward China have to been adjusted, even some countries or people are not friendly to China.

I believe that we need china to convince north korea to go back to the 6 party talks. kim-jung-il is stupid and does not care about his fellow north koreans

This Golden Nuclear Age, what is it all about anyway? Well... it means, if you've got a nuclear bomb or two or three, you get to sit at the round table of the coming New World Order, and voice your global political opinion about whatever you want, and everybody will listen.
The Seventh Man

I am a Chinese, I don’t understand all the posturing over this nuclear testing of N. Korea. How many other counties have nuclear capabilities, and in my opinion, are far more dangerous and destructive than N. Korea. However, I’m not a polotician or beaurocrat, so I guess there’s a lot that I don’t understand, right?
I think N. Korea has the right.