North Korea fired a long-range rocket and managed to put a satellite into orbit on Wednesday morning, prompting the typical frenzied condemnations from the US and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Obama White House condemned the launch calling it “a highly provocative act,” that threatened regional security and violated of UN resolutions.

“North Korea is only further isolating itself by engaging in such provocative acts,” US National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said in the statement. “Devoting scarce resources to the development of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons has not brought it security and acceptance by the international community–and never will.”

If North Korea’s launch of a missile that eventually landed in the Pacific ocean is notable at all, it’s notable because it was actually successful. The totalitarian country’s last attempt to launch a missile failed, illustrating its dilapidated military infrastructure.

“No doubt Pyongyang is pleased,” wrote Doug Bandow, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute. “It again has unsettled its leading adversaries. And it is in the news around the world.”

“The allies should have responded with a collective yawn,” Bandow added. “After all, the plan is nothing new. The [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] has been testing rockets and missiles for years,” without dramatic effect on regional security.

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