North Korea is playing a losing game

Why?

Because they cannot win. They are in the same position as Saddam Hussein and Qaddhafi were in only it's much worse.

Why?

Because they have threatened Americans, South Koreans, Japanese, and indirectly they have shamed and threatened China. And even this last thing means North Korea has to be knocked down in some way shape or form by China to save face.

So, even regarding China, North Korea has completely screwed up and is wrong headed.

This isn't the way you play a game to win. What this means is that the North Korean government is not long for this world.

Because either the U.S. , China, South Korea and Japan are going to starve North Korea to death (the 20 million who are now starving) or they release a nuke and the world takes them completely out.

There is no practical 3rd way this can go. By threatening the U.S. , Japan and South Korea they also threaten China in many different ways.

So, from my point of view not listening to China is the end of them. Because China won't forget this.

And the U.S. if the north koreans launch on us the U.S. will flatten north korea.

There is no way North Korea wins here. None!

They might be buying time but that's all!