What bluff?
Well, I suppose we could call North Korea's bluff...but what are the chances
This is what I don't understand. The US does
not care about what North Korea threatens. The US only cares about what North Korea
actually does!
This isn't about "bluffs." This is about trying to avoid escalation when North Korea actually tries to cause it.
The US sits there, does nothing, and North Korea will instigate something -- in South Korea (tactical engagements), in the waters around South Korea (tactical engagements), in Japan (kidnappings), over Japan (missiles -- all it takes is one airburst to cause trillions of dollars of damage), etc...
And even then, the US, South Korea and Japan downplay it, being very, very passive. Clinton was. W. was. Now Obama is as well. That's not the problem.
When North Korea rattles its sabres, it actually instigates a military confrontation, often against civilians, sometimes against military units. That's not a "bluff," that's an attempt to escalate it.
Furthermore, the new UN sanctions now give the authority to inspect cargo headed for North Korea. This is the first, major "proactive" sanction yet. North Korea considers such "an act of war."
Guys, please -- I beg of you -- read up on the history of engagements in the Korean theater. From the real, tactical engagements that occur to the numerous complaints Japan -- our strategic ally -- has with North Korean actions against its citizens and security.
This isn't like Iran. Other than funding of Hamas and Hezbolla, Iran actually has a legitimate argument that they are "passive" and not trying to instigate conflict. In fact, they have a strong argument that their history is a result of American influence, both pre and post 1979.
North Korea, on the other hand, is not afraid to instigate conflict and harm foreign citizens when it does not get the appeasement it expects. This includes more and more entitlements even after everyone else lives up to their agreements -- the US, South Korea, Japan.
Right now,
both Japan and South Korea have eliminated most of their entitlements out of sheer distain for North Korea's utter lack of accountability and adherence to past agreements. North Korea also considers this an "act of war."
Some people have said "oh, well, we're allowed to defend ourselves." I don't think you realize what this means.
How would you like it if Mexico regularly raided Texas, killed US soldiers, engaged our ships around San Diego, and also sent government forces to regularly kidnap American citizens from Hawaii to extort money?
And after Mexico agreed to stop for substantial US funding and entitlements, a year or two goes by and they start it up again, only to ask for more. And after 15 years of that, the US finally said, "no," and Mexico said that was an "act of war"?
Welcome to the reality that is North Korea. I still absolutely dislike Carter for formalizing the "appeasement" issue in 1994, because it has only made them far worse.