North Korea 1: USA 0

Five months ago North Korea exploded its first fission bomb. While the several kiloton test yield was disappointing, the International outrage approached biblical scale. Much to the bitterness of some mental anorexics, I dismissed the test as saber rattling engineered to extort international concessions.
Never to be one to make a mistake, Washington is moving to offer Pyongyang 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil plus another 950,000 tons if they scrap their nuclear program. Pyongyang would receive the added perks of a peace treaty ending its long war with the south, a cut in U.S troops, and removal from the State Department’s terror list.
All that is required of North Korea is the shut down of its main reactor and submission to inspection. While that may help you sleep through the night, remember that their speculated four to six bombs will remain intact somewhere. Why is it that the one at the end of the party is always stuck with the check? Kim Jong-il must be laughing all the way to the bank!