North Korea and Plan 5027

Plan 5027 is reported to be the primary contingency plan for American military operations in a war with North Korea.  Frankly, it doesn't mean much: the US isn't expecting to fight that kind of war.  It isn't expecting to fight any kind of war.  Reports that the US and South Korea have raised their threat levels generally miss the fact that only the WATCH condition has been raised (more observation), not the DEFCON (still at peacetime status).  Given all the testing going on right now, it would be amazingly stupid not to increase the WATCHCON.

Nightwatch (as supplied to AFCEA by John Mccreary) remains the best source I can find to keep up on North Korea.  Recently, it draws some interesting connections between recent reports of Kim Jong-Ils illness, the need for a father to surpass (or at least match) the achievements of the father, and the problem of succession.  There's much there to think about.