NORTH KOREA – AT 9:31 A.M. ET:  Clearly, a major, deeply disturbing escalation by the NORKS.  We're still sorting all the details, but we know they just set off their largest nuclear explosion yet, are bragging that they have the hydrogen bomb, and they can now mate their nuclear weapons to ICBMs.  Not bad for a day's work.  From Fox:

President Trump on Sunday responded to North Korea’s nuclear test, calling it “very hostile and dangerous” to the United States.

The rogue nation claimed it detonated a hydrogen bomb with "perfect success," carrying out its sixth nuclear test that drew immediate condemnation from its neighbors. Trump said on Twitter the rogue nation's actions were "hostile and dangerous." 

“North Korea has conducted a major nuclear test,” Trump said in a series of tweet. “Their words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States.”

North Korea in recent months has escalated its pursuit of a nuclear weapon and a long-range missile that would land such a warhead on foreign soil.

COMMENT:  We've tried to monitor as much press reaction as possible.  Of course, I have what I call the "48-hour rule."  Under that rule, the political left takes about 48 hours to organize, and then gives us the party line full blast.  Expect that to happen.  Nut in the White House.  American provocations.  Legitimate grievances by North Korea.  You can even expect Israel to be blameworthy. 

The fact is that 23 years of negotiations with the NORKS have failed.  They are developing a major nuclear and missile capacity, and their technology will be shared with Iran.  This is the legacy of Obama, and, yes, Bush and Clinton before him.

The president's options are all bad.  He knows that North Korea will never give up its nuclear program, and yet that is the only change that would enhance our own security in the Western Pacific.

Expect some kind of new action, and possibly a presidential speech from the Oval Office. 

And I wonder who Trump is listening to right now.  I mean, really listening to.  Is it the Establishment folks who run his White House, or is it some of the Trump true believers who've been forced out?

September 3,  2017