Troubles in North Korea

For John, BLUF:  Buckle your seat belts, as Betty Davis might say.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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In case you missed it, there have been been some happenings in North Korea recently.  The new leader, Kim Jung-un, had his uncle executed.♠  There really isn't someone we could point to in the United States who played this role in our Government.  Some wag might say Ms Valerie Jarrett, but I think even that would be a stretch.♥  As someone suggested, if Kim Jun-un is the Chairman of the Board, Mr Jang Song-taek was the CEO, the Chief Executive Officer, the person who made it all work.  In fact, this CEO analogy is exactly that used by Dr John S Park in his article "The Fallout from Jang Song-taek’s Execution", published in a blog at the Belfer Center.♦

It could be a bumpy ride in the near future.  When it is the Night of the Long Knives♣ in a nation with possible nuclear weapons we should all be concerned.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Mr Jang Song-taek, the husband of his late Father's youngest sister, Kim Kyong-hui
♥  In fact, not Vice President Joe Biben, not Attorney General Eric Holder, not Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and not First Lady Michelle Obama.  For diehard Democrats, think Vice President Dick Chaney under President Bush.  Close.  For Republicans, think Ms Hillary Clinton for President Bill Clinton.  Again, close, but not really on target.
♦  Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, The John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
♣  For example, here and here and here and here.