In war it makes sense to initiate a surprise attack, choose soft targets that are unprepared for the attack and can result in measured success to advance your aims.  North Korea did just that when it hacked Sony Pictures.  But one must ask why did they follow the Japanese Pearl Harbor example?  Why was Sony Pictures so important to take down?

There is a similarity linking North Korea allegedly attacking Sony Pictures computer system through an attack and the Pakistan Taliban attack upon a school catering to children of the military.  The Talaban killed at least 141 children.  North Korea may have successfully diminished free speech, free expression in the rest of the world.  Both attacks were motivated by getting even for some perceived attack.

Because Sony Pictures was attacked in the way it was, should indicate that North Korea felt some pending hurt.  In the case of the Talaban in Pakistan the hurt came from the military carrying out a offensive against the Taliban.  The Taliban went after the children of the military staff a very soft target and unexpected.

I only wish to draw a parallel between the Pakistan Taliban and North Korea to show that the attacks in both cases seemed to be similar.  Both attacks were carried out with such force and both attacks seemed successful in that they were not anticipated and no protection was set up by the Pakistan  government and Sony Pictures.  Both attacks shocked the world.  We know the reason for the Pakistan attack but do not seem sure about why North Korea attacked Sony Pictures.  But, looking at both instances you might draw more understanding of why North Korea made their attack by looking at why the Taliban made their attack.

A key point I wish to explore is why would North Korea think the pending movie called The Interview?  North Korea is a heavily controlled dictatorship where the citizens are treated like slaves.  There is no free expression, no freedom of speech, no economic freedom.  The society is oppressive and demeaning toward its citizens all for the purpose of enriching the oligarchy.  The country is not on par with any western nation for enlightenment and being civilized.  The population is told what to believe.  It stands to reason that the leadership of North Korea would be horrified if any reference is made to assassinate their supreme leader in any public forum, anywhere.  This is point is my main recommendation, that being that North Korea wanted to kill The Interview so no one would view it and the idea it carries come into infect the minds of the North Korean people.  In other words, North Korea adores the notion that anyone would assassinate their supreme leader, even in fiction.  Ideas can be powerful and dangerous.

My second view, but less important in my mind, is the movie may ridicule the North Korean dictatorship.  It also implies that the rest of the world hold North Korea in some disdain due to its fascist political system.  The leadership of North Korea would not want their slave population realize that other people in other countries look at North Korea as backward and uncivilized as it truly is.  No individual in any country would want to think that their nation is backward (as North Korea is).  This notion would may also grate upon the North Korean population if they knew that other people in other countries think of them this way.

Sony Pictures does have a powerful weapon.  They can shoot back.  Here are some suggestions:

• I suggest that Sony Pictures retaliate and try to get even with the scum lords of North Korea by releasing the movie.
• I recommend that Sony Pictures makes a Korean language version so the chances are better that the movie is viewed by the North Koreans.
• I recommend that Sony Pictures renames the movie “The Interview With Fat Boy” and releases the movie in a pay per view venue and  direct DVD sales.
• I also recommend that Sony Pictures tries to find every method they can to invade copies of the movie into North Korea.  This may be likened to laying a garage of artillery shells at the country.  I just read that Google is thinking of putting balloons up high enough to offer more Internet connectivity.  Internet in North Korea is naturally heavily restricted but I am betting that there are enough bright people in North Korea that can circumvent these restrictions.