How important is trade?

A quote from the NYT:

While North Korea knows it would not last a day in a full-scale war with the United States, it skillfully exploits an American soft point when it stirs fears about its potential to sow havoc among America’s Northeast Asian allies and crucial trading partners — Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China. Such fears also help to make the Chinese and Russians skittish about provoking the North Koreans too much in the nuclear bargaining.

Nuclear war -- or trade? Bombs and hundreds dead -- or imports? [Emphasis in quote mine.]

Wow, we really have come a long since the Cold War. And not in all ways for the better.

Fear sucks, true. But short-sightedness (read: stupidity) sucks more when you're dealing with an aging dictator with a weapon (thought) reserved for "the big boys" and just about only enemies outside his borders. (If only team america was right, and a little love was all he needed.) Invading the country is uncouth, of course--- even Bush has (found it convenient to appear as though he) learned that. But empty threats should be left to parent-child exchanges, and catholic school indoctrination. Mr. Kim Jong-il needs AGAHB. (I'll leave you to unravel that one.)

Meanwhile, doesn't he look like a gangster in this picture? Hmm, "Jong-IL"--- I see a bright alternative career for him as a as the kILr gangstah supreme---he even has a hard-fisted posse in matching (back-up singer-like) get-ups. The music video is so on.

P.S. If anyone knows a good vector editor (online or downloadable) besides Inkscape (+ X11), please let me know. I'd like to crop his arms into a rapper pose.