The prominent news story of the day involves the fueling of a rocket in North Korea that may contain a nuclear warhead. There is the possibility, too, that the rocket has sufficient range to reach the United States. While this episode is not the first time the North Korean government has rattled its saber, the political rhetoric continues to grow as the perceived threat grows. Certainly, many are comparing this news with similar events in Iran. Recently, I read a series of articles in FORTUNE Magazine about the synergy and extraordinary results that teams have achieved. Not surprisingly, engineers have played a crucial role on many of these teams. One article, "Six Teams That Changed the World", starts with a review of Thomas Edison's Menlo Park team. As stated in the article, "He (Edison) was never the lone inventor." And so it is in North Korea and Iran. There are engineers - teams of engineers - working on their programs. There must be technicians working around the clock to prepare the rocket and buildings full of engineers who designed, developed and built the rocket and its destructive payload. Why would teams of talented people form to pursue such a program? With all the opportunity to succeed, why would engineers devote their energy to such an endeavor? With all the unmet needs in this world, why would individuals who have spent years studying math and science to better their lives choose to work on a program that has no positive value?