Korean Barbecue

Meanwhile, as if things really couldn't get any worse on planet Earth here in the last couple weeks, the South Korean Navy is vowing to pick a fight with their northern neighbors over the sinking of the frigate Cheonan.  Via LGM:

Defense Minister Kim Tae-young said Sunday that retaliation over the sinking of the Cheonan must be carried out. Kim’s remarks came on the heels of Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kim Sung-chan’s reprisal pledge made during last week’s funeral for the 46 dead sailors from the mysterious sinking of the frigate on March 26.

The Navy chief said, “We’ll never forgive whoever inflicted this great pain on us. We will track them down to the end and we will, by all means, make them pay.”

“I agree with Adm. Kim,” the defense chief told a KBS television program aired nationwide. “After finding the cause of the incident, we should pay back those responsible for killing our sailors. That’s my opinion.”

As for concerns about a vicious cycle of retaliation, the minister said, “We’ll take into account such things, but retaliation, in whatever form it takes, must be done.”

Oh, this will end well, I can feel it.  Seriously, if South Korea is talking about "retaliation in whatever form it takes" there's going to be problems here, and soon.  Somebody needs to get Hillary on the horn and get her out there before something involving shooting and blood begins out in the DMZ.  I'm really, really hoping China can be convinced to smack some heads around in Pyongyang too while we handle Seoul, because if we don't, this starts turning into a Tom Clancy novel real fast.

I'm all for holding North Korea responsible, but it's clear South Korea's had enough and that they're serious about payback being a bitch.