Don't let smoke get in your eyes, just put out the fire.

Couple of days back North Korea claimed to have tested its first Inter Continental Ballistic Missile, to coincide with American Independence Day. "A gift for the American bastards," exulted North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un. The missile was launched at a steep angle and fell in the Sea of Japan. North Korea claimed that the missile traveled 933 kms while Russia says that it went 570 kms. Question is how far it will travel if launched at a shallow angle. Some say it can travel 6,700 kms while others say that it could reach as far as 8,000 kms. Any range over 5,500 kms makes it an ICBM and maybe sufficient to reach Alaska. The fear is that if they can reach that far they can easily add to it to target US mainland. North Korea has also been testing nuclear bombs and claimed that its ICBM can carry a large nuclear bomb. An impoverished nation, laboring under UN sanctions, this childish aggravation of the US seems entirely incomprehensible. So, why does it do it? Nuclear tests, missile launches and elimination of any perceived challenge are the ways the regime maintains its complete grip on the people. US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley said that the US is prepared to use military force but "we prefer not to have to go in that direction". Russia advised patience and dialogue with North Korea, just as the US lectures India to hold 'constructive dialogue' with Pakistan after every terrorist outrage and continues to supply arms to that failed state. Why does the US care about what North Korea is doing thousands of mile away? Kim Jong-Un maybe a despicable tyrant but he knows how to survive. He knows that any attack on the US will mean total annihilation of North Korea and his own death. The problem is that South Korea is just across the border and Japan is only about 1,000 kms across the sea and tens of thousands could be killed by the North's missiles. Leftists argue that threats and sanctions are counterproductive because China is protecting the regime, and the best solution is to accept Chinese hegemony in Asia. China makes a pretence of trying to restrain North Korea but trade between the two countries increased by 37.4% in the first quarter of this year, according to Chinese customs data. In frustration Donald Trump tweeted, "Perhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all." China is the problem. An uncivilized nation of barbarians, China supports all that is filthy in the world. It is protecting North Korea, helping Pakistan in its terrorist program, and collaborated with the hated Pol Pot regime in Cambodia.  The solution is in Trump's hands. Levy a 45% border tax on Chinese imports, as he promised, and use the money to increase Social Security for the poor. The Democrats will scream that the poor are being harmed, the Republicans will scream about handouts to the poor, the Chinese economy will be hit hard and Trump will go down as a great president. China has huge debts and hitting its trade surplus could tip it over the edge. Way to go, Donald.