[zamalek]

I wouldn't agree with moving it ahead as much as 30 seconds for North Korea. NK resulting in a doomsday scenario (which is different to mass casualties) requires a substantial chain of unfortunate events after the two idiots push their buttons.

A nuclear arsenal isn't the only deterrent between US and Russia. Both countries have decades of experience with nuclear defense. NK is relatively (or possibly absolutely) defenseless. While there would be enormous casualties (which is horrific and sad but is not doomsday), the fight would be extremely one-sided. Nobody else, including Putin, wants to get involved in a global nuclear catastrophe. At worst, US would be slapped with consequences six-ways-from-Sunday: think Germany after WW2. With a sane president, US wouldn't even have to use nukes to quash NK and, you never know, someone might actually calm the president if that time comes.

However, there is always a possibility - a nuke is sabotaged and lands in Russia, or something.