What’s next from North Korea? One week the rogue dictatorship tests new missiles.

The next, it improves its nuclear arsenal. And recently, there were reports Pyongyang is building a new submarine for use as a missile-launching platform.

Given the regime’s unpredictable aggressiveness, it may be only a matter of time until someone miscalculates and sets off a war. In contrast to the last one involving North Korea, a new conflict would be one with a power having nuclear weapons, delivery systems – and no compunction about using them.

During the 1930s, it was an open secret that Nazi Germany was, in violation of treaties, rebuilding its army, navy and air force. When Hitler unleashed them, tens of millions paid with their lives for the free world’s failure to stop Germany when that could have been accomplished with less bloodshed.

No rational person wants war. But it has become obvious that efforts to rein in North Korean militarism have been a dismal failure.

Yet whenever Pyongyang waves another red flag, response by the United States and other peace-loving nations is more of the same. Strident condemnations are followed by … virtually no action.

It is long past time for the international community to reconsider the question of what to do about North Korea. Clearly, China would be the key player in any such discussion.

It needs to be held, and the sooner, the better. Barack Obama is unlikely to take the lead in proposing such a discussion.

Our next president needs to make it a priority.

Time is most definitely running out.