(CNN) -- Once again, North Korea has violated an important international agreement by launching a long-range missile. And like many times before, there is not much Washington or anyone else can do about it. The brazen defiance of the North Korean regime is stunning. It's a performance that carries a strong message for the West and regimes that are contemplating the possibility of starting nuclear programs of their own. It may be tempting to dismiss the importance of the launch since the rocket failed to go into orbit and disintegrated after liftoff. But North Korea succeeded in defying the world and managed to carry out an important test of its missile program.
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North Korea launched a long-range rocket that broke apart after liftoff
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Frida Ghitis: North Korea defied the world, and there is not much the U.S. can do
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She says the impunity of North Korea sets a dangerous example
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Ghitis: For countries such as Iran, there's more incentive not to give up nuclear program
At the end of February, North Korea made an agreement with @placeholder to stop all missile tests and uranium enrichment in exchange for the United States to deliver 240,000 tons of food.