Just two months ago, amid celebrations of the 1979 Islamic
Revolution, an Iranian rocket roared off a military launch pad
and placed a 50kg Earth observation satellite into orbit. The US
Department of State grumbled about possible missile
applications, but that was pretty much it. Now it’s North
Korea’s turn. As it prepares to launch a rocket to celebrate the
100th anniversary of the birthday of its founder, it, too, is
telling the world that its goal is to get a satellite into
orbit. It is even promising to give international observers
front-row seats at its newly built launch facility — just like
Iran did in February. However, the international condemnation is
much louder over the satellite launch North Korea plans sometime
between Thursday and Monday next week. The US is promising to
scrap a just-signed food aid deal if the rocket is launched.
Tokyo and Seoul have vowed to shoot it down if it veers off
course. Russia and China, which have long-standing ties with the
North, have urged Pyongyang to rethink i