Love You to Tender

WASHINGTON — North Korea defied international objections and prompted a diplomatic scramble Tuesday by launching a long-range missile capable of reaching the USA, U.S. officials said. The Taepodong-2 missile failed within a minute and landed in the sea.

[Tony] Snow said the administration planned to move forward in "a cool and diplomatic" manner. "The last thing we want to do is escalate this," he said. Even so, "it is definitely a provocation."

The US is sending short-range interceptor missiles to Japan after extensive talks with Tokyo - a move that comes amid mounting concerns about North Korea’s intention to test fire yet another missile into the North Pacific.

The missile agreement - reached earlier this month - means that the US can install the missiles as soon as possible, according to the Pentagon, which refused to elaborate on the specifics of the arrangement and the number of missiles heading to the Far East.

The US currently has about 100,000 troops stationed in Japan.

- Maybe this could all have been avoided had Bush taken Kim Jong Il along with Japan's Prime Minister Koizumi on that tacky visit to the ever tackier Graceland last week. Hunka hunka burning love.