March 14, 2006: Shutting down access to North Korean money laundering bank in Macao, China, has apparently done more damage than previously thought. The North Koreans have long engaged in drug smuggling, counterfeiting and money laundering to provide foreign currency for foreign imports. Some of these imports are for weapons programs, but there are also a lot of consumer goodies to keep the few thousand key leaders in the communist police state happy. Take away the toys, and the protectors of the state get angry and restless. More coup rumors can be expected, especially as the U.S. goes after other banks that support North Koreans criminal activities..

March 11, 2006: As usual, North Korea has canceled high level talks with South Korea. This is a typical northern negotiating tactic.

March 8, 2006: North Korea test fired two short range missiles, apparently using new propulsion and guidance components. The tests appeared to be successful, and the missiles traveled only about five kilometers.

February 27, 2006: Despite North Korean claims that it has nuclear weapons, American defense officials doubt this is the case. It is believed that if North Korea had a working bomb design, they would not hesitate to conduct one or more underground tests (which are easily detected). If a test failed, it would be more difficult to detect, given the amount of tunneling always going on in the north. This often involves high explosives, which is all that could be detected if a nuclear bomb failed to go "nuclear" (with only its high explosives detonating.) If North Korea did get a nuclear bomb design to work, they would want the world to know for sure.