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The North Korean nuclear test
Once again, North Korea has managed to capture the world's attention with its nuclear weapons program--this time by conducting its second nuclear test. Not surprisingly, the action drew scorn from Pyongyang's allies (e.g., China) and adversaries (e.g., the United States) alike. A technical and political look at Monday's test.
What the seismic data says
The early seismic numbers reveal that North Korea's latest nuclear test was bigger than its 2006 test but that the yield was still far short of a Hiroshima-type bomb.
A perilous path back to the negotiating table
Will North Korea's nuclear test force the Obama administration to make North Korea priority number one, or will it steadfastly unite the international community against Pyongyang?
What if North Korea were the only nuclear weapon state?
Inevitably, some analysts will use Pyongyang's nuclear test to question the feasibility of a nuclear-weapon-free world. But they're missing the point--a world full of nuclear weapons hasn't deterred North Korea either.
North Korea and the Clock
Should the hand of the Clock move because of the latest North Korean nuclear test? Read on.
The Chinese reaction
Like the rest of the world, Beijing rebuked North Korea for its recent nuclear test. But that doesn't mean China will be supporting harsher U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang anytime soon.
The Japanese reaction
Pyongyang's second nuclear test has frustrated Japan, causing Tokyo to reexamine its defense policy and question whether the U.S. nuclear umbrella can keep it safe.
The Russian reaction
With Russian national interests impacted by Pyongyang's recent missile launches and nuclear test, Moscow's considerable patience with the North is beginning to wear thin.
The South Korean reaction
It's been a tale of two reactions in South Korea--the public generally has remained calm while the government seems to want to respond to Pyongyang's latest provocation more aggressively.
Punishing North Korea won't work
Like the Bush administration before it, the Obama administration seems to want to engage Pyongyang only with sticks--not a useful strategy if it truly wants to change the U.S.-North Korean dynamic.
Seoul goes on the defensive
A mere 24 hours after Pyongyang conducted its second nuclear test, South Korea was already strengthening its defenses--a posture that's likely to continue into the foreseeable future.
The risks of North Korea's nuclear restart
Refurbished nuclear facilities could yield Pyongyang additional nuclear weapons, but the greatest risk remains that it would export nuclear materials or know-how.
Assessing North Korea's uranium enrichment capabilities
In its latest threat, Pyongyang has vowed to enrich uranium for bomb-making purposes. An HEU bomb on the peninsula is a scary proposition, but is it realistic?
Discarding tired assumptions about North Korea
Most analysis of North Korea's latest nuclear test starts from the errant premise that Kim Jong Il is a rational actor.