mean girls

Man, North Korea really is like China's embarassing friend from grade school, isn't it? North Korea shows up at the lunch table, does something off-putting and/or insane, and we all steal side glances over in China's direction, muttering "What are you gonna do about this? You guys used to be, like, best friends, right? Take care of it." And China sits there for a moment wondering if doing something about it will make him more or less popular with the cool kids; is it a welcome favor or a tacit admission of guilt by association? It's like an After-School Special, only with intercontinental ballistic missiles instead of football games.