Kim Jong Il: Shades of Tom?

North Korea is back in the news this week, with the renegade communist state conducting more missile tests and exuding much machismo.

As one of the world's few remaining autocratic tyrants, 65-year old Kim Jong Il, the country's head of state, hates America with a passion. Or so he claims. We think he's merely jealous, and afraid of a hostile takeover. The supposed movie buff clearly fashions himself a Hollywood icon. See below:

While the well-documented, mostly-harmless insanity of Tom Cruise pales in comparison to this possibly-nuclear-armed psychopath, one cannot help but note the uncanny style similarities. We'd be willing to bet the despot owns Jerry Maguire on DVD.

Sadly for Kim, it looks Cruise has more clout on a global scale -- and not just because the actor's net worth may surpass North Korea's GDP. This week's missile tests came off looking like mere posturing when the Taepodong 2, a touted long-range weapon, lasted only 42 seconds in flight before crashing into the ocean, leaving nations Kim hoped to intimidate ambivalent.