Ready to Rocket

Possibly upset that Iran has grabbing most of the pariah state headlines these days, North Korea announced that it will go forward with a planned rocket launch in April, with the intent of placing an Earth observation satellite into orbit. The launch has caused an outcry from the international community, including the U.S., who fear the rocket launch masks a test of missile technology that could have the capability to deliver nuclear weapons as far as Japan or even Hawaii. This announcement comes only weeks after North Korea made an agreement with the U.S. to suspend missile and nuclear tests in exchange for food aid. The U.S. has warned that it will suspend such aid if North Korea continues with its launch plans. North Korea's leaders may feel they can do without the aid and believe their nation's extremely limited resources are better spent launching an observation satellite that can perhaps report on just how hungry and destitute its population is. Or the satellite may be put to even darker purposes, like rebroadcasting baseball games without the express written consent of Major League Baseball.