Is Kim Jong Il Dying?

Broadly speaking, we all are, but if you ever see a face this dessicated in the mirror, seek medical attention.  Kim Jong Il emerged from his seclusion, reportedly from one of his seaside palaces where he’d been recovering from a stroke, to attend a memorial for his late god-king father.  The man looks liked warmed-over death, and he needs some Rogaine:

A comparison of these pictures to images of the 67 year-old thug from early April, late April and June appears to confirm recent reports that Kim Jong Il’s health continues to decline, and he’s certainly aware of that.  When a messianic malignant narcissist with weapons of mass destruction and no regard for human life becomes aware of his own mortality and contrasts it with his unrealized ambitions, we enter a very dangerous new phase.  What ties Kim Jong Il to the future?  His intention to transfer power to his son may be all that gives him a motive to avoid conflict.  How dangerous?  According to a recent clandestine report from inside North Korea, the country’s military high command recently forced soldiers to watch a recorded threat that the regime would use nuclear weapons against “enemies trying to destroy our Communist state from the inside.”

It’s also significant that the state has shown no recent audio or video of Kim Jong Il speaking:

North Korean TV showed recorded footage of the event taking place on Wednesday, with Kim looking thin and aloof, but he earlier appeared alert and walked briskly on stage followed by top military and ruling Workers’ Party officials. As nominal head of state, Kim Yong-nam delivered a memorial address as Kim sat slouched in his center-stage chair. Close-up shots showed him looking older than his 67 years. Kim typically does not speak when attending public events and did not appear to address the indoor ceremony. He has had an active public profile in recent months since re-emerging after a suspected stroke last year. [Reuters]

As anyone who has known a stroke victim knows, a stroke has an audible effect on a person’s speech.  Don’t you suppose North Korea would release audio to show us how fully His Withering Majesty had recovered if it could?  I close by simply adding my own wishes for a swift and permanent resolution to all of Kim Jong Il’s health problems.