nothing is routine. the north isn t going to take it. the north korean army has publicly and in a statement carried by the north korean news agency warned of a very strong response if the south goes ahead. i wouldn t discount those warnings, so we re at a dangerous moment. all of this, mike, is to look tough, is that why all of this is happening? i m sorry? all of this is happening to look tough. i want our slviewers to understd why this is taking place now. it s very complicated. the short version of it is that in 2008, president lee myung-bak of south korea took office and discarded the policy of engaging north korea, that his two predecessors had followed and instead got tough on pyongyang. that started a cycle of escalating tension which culminated in these military exercises so you have the two koreas in a sense jostling to look tough and north korea is now undergoing a very delicate succession, the north korean