Kevin T was politically prosecuted for saying something was easy...something we all say at one time or another...some idiot thought it was hard I guess.
Kevin brought some interesting history to the table that gave me the incentive to dig deeper 20 years ago.

Say what you will of him but he was a straight shooter and a good friend to Mark Hamilton, I and many others.

Since there is "no rational behavior anywhere in the world these days", how should we view your behavior? I can see you might have a point there by your referencing inmate Kevin Trudeau as a possible source for something.

"States are irrational when they do not follow self-interest. "
Many irrational leaders are following self interest in the short term, while not considering self interest in the long term.

I don't think they have the ability to "Think" rationally never mind "Act" rationally...in fact...I don't see Any rational behavior anywhere in this world these days.

The claim makes sense to me except that it anthropomorphizes the Korean state. If the state were a conscious beast, I can understand why it might act this way. Right now the world wants non-proliferation. They'll invade you like Iraq if you're trying to get nukes. Once you get them, though, no one will touch you. So that part's rational.

I'd like to understand why the people who lead it and administrate it stick with it and support the rational interests of an evil state. Sure the people on top get to be in charge and get all the perks. They set up a social class of courtesans. The people at the top and enjoy the perks and they can use carrots and sticks to stay in power. BUT when you look at that map of the night lights of Korea, it looks like South Korea is an island. Even poor countries have more lights. It seems like for everyone but those at the very very top, it would be more rational for them to be a middle-class person in South Korea than a rich and powerful person in a dirt poor country where you have to worry about your whole family being killed if you fall out of favor. I have the same question for middle-class people who are nowhere near the top. They make those people gush about their leader as if he were superhuman. Does that just feel way over-the-top? They don't let them say, "all in all, despite the foibles we all have, he's the best man for the job," which would sound believable. They make them almost prostrate themselves as being unworthy of his amazing leadership. I'd think people would eventually call BS on this and just take the country back-- I mean the rank-and-file workers, the police officers, accountants, the people who run their prison camps, the purchasing people who order supplies for the gov't, just everyone. I don't know why they put up with it.