Even if it did get to the people, it would still allow the NKs to maintain their army and the Party in well-fed luxury by making more resources available for them. The same thing happened in Cuba.

Unfortunately, Communist dictatorships also have their 1-percenters and their wealth-distibution scams, too. Only worse.

Right now, the Chinese are probably paying this bill, and I think they should certainly shoulder a heavier load than us. After all, they are the ones who need a buffer state and a strong military ally, not us. Sooner or later, they'll tire of the immense drain on their resources and cut the umbilical, and this foul little government can be allowed to die a natural death.

Of course, what happens after the fall of NK will be subject to the Law of Unforeseen consequences. Korea will change, possibly re-unify into a real military and economic rival to China and Japan, or the North might simply become an outlaw or failed state, another Somalia. Or China might invade (another Afghanistan?).

Or we might wind up with a powerful and belligerent capitalist North, like China or Russia. Not all the world's scumbags are Communist, you know.

Still I'm willing to take the chance. But its sad that a lot of innocent people are going to have to starve. Still, all we owe N Korea in the way of humanitarian aide is to feed them IF they agree to cut back their military to a size adequate for defense (with full inspection rights to back it up), and fair trading rights. I'm sure we can make a fair profit there without exploiting them, and get them interested in free market economics. Everybody wins. And you know what? I think this is exactly what Hillary is trying to do.

Why not? It worked for Vietnam.