Now that North Korea is preparing to test-fire a long-range missile that might be capable of striking the United States, it’s time for President Obama to phone Hu Jintao. He should remind the Chinese president that if Kim Jong-il wreaks havoc in America, the chances of China collecting its trillion-dollar U.S. debt would be affected. Not to mention the billions Americans pay the Chinese every year for the gewgaws and jimcracks at Wal-Mart and other U.S. retailers.

Hu Jintao (photo at left) should weigh the prospect of these losses against the cost of a mass influx of North Korean refugees in the event of the collapse of Dear Leader’s regime. I understand that it’s the fear of a wave of refugees that has prompted China to prop up the North Korean dictator all these years. But now Hu Jintao might consider North Korea’s collapse the lesser of two evils.

President Obama might also want to phone Vladimir Putin (photo above, right) and suggest the Russian prime minister have a word with his pal Hu. Russia has nothing to gain and much to lose if North Korea starts spewing nuclear missiles.  And I am sure the Russian government would not enjoy the fallout from America’s response to an attack from Kim Jong-il (photo at right). Russia and China are North Korea’s closest neighbors, and would be sure to experience horrific effects from the nuclear “shock and awe” next door.

Surely, Hu Jintao and Vladimir Putin know that America is more than adequately equipped to respond in kind to a nuclear attack – from land, air and sea. Surely, they must realize how horrible a nuclear holocaust would be.