Conflict ? What conflict?

Hell to pay! We will not tolerate a Nuclear North Korea! Tough sanctions to be imposed on Pyongyang!

Headlines and mere threats issued by the super powers? They could do nothing but watch as this tiny nation became the 9^th recognized nation to join the nuclear club.

There is a saying never threaten unless you can actually carry out your threats. North Korea has taken the first shot and now the West suddenly looks like Mike Tyson in the ring with his shorts off.

How do they intend to punish a nation who has no contact with the outside world with sanctions? North Korea has been an outcast of the international community for some time, and sanctions are merely symbolic. An attack on the nuclear facilities can trigger a nuclear accident and with North Korea capable of attacking with no restraint, suddenly it is round one to Korea.

So much for making the world a safer place! The so called Allies’ threats have been exposed as nothing more than a bluff. What stops Iran or Egypt which has been making noises from joining the Nuclear Club? What about all the other countries who have been nurturing nuclear dreams? The fear of condemnation by the International community and sanctions were the only restraints but it has become nothing more than a big bluff and a bunch of formalities. I am sure the nuclear club will have a lot of new members soon.

The media finds itself at the cross roads, expert over expert tries to explain and analyze North Korea’s actions. It is as good as scientists sitting on earth and talking about the surface of Pluto. North Korea is a blind spot and literally no one knows what the North Koreans are capable off. Speculations are the key word that the media hangs on too. In almost every conflict there were two sides to a story and the media enjoyed the freedom to portray and criticize both the sides. Saddam Hussein let the CNN cover the war from Iraq giving a double side perspective. In other conflicts too the international media were given ring side views which they mistook for their right rather than an invitation.

With the coming of the war on terror and embedded journalism, the so called “international media” chose to sell its soul to the devil for a story. Suddenly they were no longer needed to report the voices of conflict. The other side did not want to talk or give exclusive interviews to the international media and community anymore. The international media is yet to ask itself serious questions – why are they no more on the bus? Be it the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Darfur and now North Korea – the international media finds itself with no invitations and takes out its frustration by labeling these countries as tyrants and dictators and so on. More like the fable of fox labeling ripe grapes sour. Their role have now been reduced to nothing much than of a parrot - repeating hour after hour – the long boring press statements from the “allies”.

This conflict as become more like a television serial where North Korea is the prodigal son who has gone out of the way to do what he wants while the rest of the family members have no idea how to deal with child. North Korea for every threat made promises one more test.

Japan, South Korea, Russia and China are making a noise because they are scared of a nuclear fall out from North Korea with whom they share a border. The US and her allies are raging like a mad bull promising hell one earth. Sounds like the next World War? Naah!

Here is a man threatening to use Nuclear weapons and who could possibly create another nuclear holocaust and somehow not many nations seem bothered by it. The world is busy holding trials for rulers who never had WMDs or busy lapping up autobiographies of politicians who have the Bomb. Sorry, Kim Jong-il, we don't care if you have the bomb or not - if you are going to use it or not. Fear Not! Unless, you have oil reserves you are in no danger of being invaded or attacked. Keep those potatoes and cabbages growing and continue to export the fake Reebaks and Nikeys coming from your factories. I am sorry that we have reached such high levels of human existence where we don't care if you blow the world to bits. Oh we have other things to worry about! The cricket ball tampering scandals, Rang De Basanti - India's entry to the Oscars, US politicians and their gay scandals, or Microsoft Vista repeatedly delayed launch.

Oh no, Kim Jong-il, you are not going to make this world an unsafe place because we don't care. Try writing a book on how you intend on using the bomb and how you don’t like travelling by plane. You might get a publishing advance and reach the best sellers list. It would make a more interesting read than my regular diet of bland newspapers.