Yes, but: Your points on N.Korea vs. Iraq are excellent. However, you engage in the foolish practice of arguing reality as opposed to rhetoric. Either you're part of the "Axis of Evil" or you're not. While N.Korea is definitely in over its head, it still has the means to bring about a rather nasty end. As to what your average N. Korean is seeing across the DMZ, I might quibble a bit. I watched a recent show on PBS that had one of its ubiquitous toothy Brits and his digital camerman, as they took a tour (state supervised, of course) into N. Korea. There is no question that they were shown only what the government wanted, and that their two guides (one being a very fetching young lass) were spouting the party line the entire time. However, I do think that the masses, while certainly aware of how ridiculous their leader can seem, don't really have a clue as to what the West is like. They're too bombarded with propaganda, and kept busy polishing statues of Dear Leader. Nonetheless, if a war would occur, I think they would put up a good fight, but anything protracted would exhaust their supplies of food and equipment. Having said the above, I'm inclined to agree with your Nazi Germany/late 80s USSR analogy. Problem for Saddam is that he has no Moussilini to speak of.