'The Incapable Shooting at the Incapable'

In world capitals today, there are expressions of great dismay and outrage over North Korea's missile tests. In Washington, White House spokesman Tony Snow: "This is not a U.S.-North Korea matter and we're not going to let the leader of North Korea transform it into that."

Trouble is, as long as China and South Korea refuse to play hardball with North Korea, the standoff inevitably comes down to Washington vs. Pyongyang.

As the Bush administration searches once again for some sort of meaningful leverage over North Korea, Anthony Cordesman, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Affairs, has some interesting observations (PDF).

He points out that the immediate danger from North Korean missiles is not to the U.S., but to U.S. allies in Asia with whom Washington is linked both strategically and economically.

As for Bush administration statements that it might activate its unproven missile defense system against North Korea, Cordesman offers this caustic assessment:

"The incapable shooting at the incapable is not a particularly good way to celebrate the Fourth of July."