Whatever the motivation is for Kim Jong Un to have a nuclear capability — be it credibility on the world stage, or even state expansion — it cannot be allowed to persist.

For one thing, his ability to give other despots and terrorists WMD leads to the horrific prospect of ISIS acquiring these weapons in return for much-needed hard cash. It’s hard to see ISIS having any scruples about such an arrangement — or indeed using such a weapon in areas that they are currently fighting the US in the Middle East.

There appear to be no good solutions, but if diplomacy fails — which must be given a good run by all, especially Russia and China — there must be a plan to destroy this capability militarily for the sake of future generations.