Early reports of seismic data and analysis report an explosion that is equal to about 1000 tons of TNT. This is on par with the technology and explosive power of American bombs dropped on Nagasaki, and hardly a modern device equal to multi-megatons of TNT power--i.e. what American or other nuclear powers keep in their arsenal. Scientists have labelled this event as a "fizzle" rather than an explosion. In short, it must have been a bad day for the brightest of North Korean scientists, and I hate to contemplate the repercussions from the top brass.

A fizzle exposes the lack of knowledge and expertise to explode the plutonium core of a bomb to get the all-important explosive chain reaction in the right sequence. Without "crushing" the core of the device in just the right way, the inward-moving wave of the explosion will not yield the devastating impact intended. This kind of partial reaction was also a problem during the early days of the Manhattan Project some 65 years ago.

This sums up to North Korea's desire for a rush job just a few months after their multiple missile tests last July. It is either a repeated signal to hold direct talks with Washington or that the Dear Leader has declared independence from his Chinese handlers. Either way, this (failed) atomic test has depleted his bag of bluffs.

More importantly, this escalation proves the failure of Washington's unyielding policy set on coercion and presumed punishment scenarios that are mixed with unrealistic demands for unilateral disarmament.

It is time to switch to reality. Even at this late stage, talks and direct contacts could yield up assessments that are not otherwise available. Washington must now join the world community as a team player to find a common solution. Unilateral vetoes and pre-emptive go-it-alone guess work cannot replace cooperation with regional powers, especially China. Otherwise, policies will once again fizzle out.