North Korea, under its thirtysomething Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un, is no country for old men. The latest casualty in Kim's ongoing purge of the senior military command was the defense minister, Hyon Yong-chol, who reportedly committed the classic old man's offense of falling asleep in a meeting.

I agree with Kathi Zellweger that sanctions mostly punish the ordinary people who live at the edge of starvation.

Kim Jong-un's style is more suggestive of Saddam Hussein or his murderous son, Uday Hussein.

Barbara Demick Quotes