North Korea is playing a dangerous game. By declaring that is is renouncing the armistice of 1953 that terminated the Korean war - it is assuming that conflict with the United Nations forces and South Korea is to continue.
It's reclusive leader may need to create bold scenarios to preserve his crumbling leadership and whip his restive generals into line, but he may also accidentally bite off far more than he can comfortably chew.
This is not the same world as in 1953. The cold war is over. China is no longer a belligerent supporter of anyone rebelling against the west - and all world leaders are desperately trying to hose down a huge financial recession.
The United States has it's hands full in Iraq and Afghanistan - and it could value the 28,500 troops facing off with North Korea across the 38''th parallel for other duties.
The most likely flash points will be in the disputed Yellow sea area, scene of earlier naval clashes and the probable scene of confrontation if shipping is searched for illegal weapons.
North Korea is now in a different league from the 1950's. It is a proven nuclear nation with a supply of bombs and the means of delivering them. It is quite possible that for once China, Russia and the United States may reach agreement that the last thing the world needs is a maniacal tin pot dictator upsetting world peace and threatening it's neighbours.
If North Korea over reaches - and uses one of it's nuclear weapons in a show of strength - the response could be the total elimination of that nation by consensus by the " big three ".
President Kim's desperation may have led him to make a very unwise decision !
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