There's crazy, and then there's crazy. The Roman emperor Caligula has long been regarded as crazy, and quite possibly there's something to that. On the other hand, some of his "crazy" actions were probably meant to humiliate rivals; these may have been wise or foolish attempts, and they may have been more or less successful, but they were probably not quite as mad as they may appear at first blush. Also, he may have found it convenient to let his enemies believe he was crazy; and he may have been slandered by his successors. Both of these last points remind me of Ronald Reagan, of all people; he certainly liked keeping the Soviet Union unsure of how me might react to a provocation, and his subsequent Alzheimer's has been seized with evil glee by those who wish to discredit his entire presidency.
Caligula came to mind in the context of a contemporary leader who is currently making some very questionable decisions from atop his precarious perch: Kim Jong-un. It is certainly speculated that his current actions, which make no military sense whatsoever, may be designed to deter internal rivals.
What Kim Jong-un really, really needs is a way to declare victory and go home. It really is of no importance whether anyone else believes this is a victory, as long is he can sell it domestically.
So here is a suggestion: Kim Jong-un should have is army collect sea shells, then return to the capital to celebrate a "triumph" over the sea. Crazy? Yes. But not the craziest option on the table right now.
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