Secretary Panetta says the US is still "assessing" North Korean rocket launch

Note: Erin Burnett is on assignment in Afghanistan tonight.

OutFront tonight: Not backing down.

Just as the world denounces North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket, the rogue government is rubbing it in by releasing new pictures of their control room during the launch.

North Korea's defiant move to launch a long-range rocket has the international community scrambling to respond. At emergency session this afternoon, the UN Security Council called Pyongyang's actions "a clear violation" of previous resolutions.

U.S. officials calling the move "highly provocative" and tell CNN they had expected a rocket launch from North Korea around December 17th, not last night. The U.S. is now threatening to impose sanctions against Pyongyang as well.

Erin spoke with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta exclusively in Kabul today about this pressing issue, and Tom Foreman has more perspective on the alleged success of this launch.

CLICK THROUGH TO SEE THE ACCOMPANYING PANEL DISCUSSION FEATURING RET. GENERAL AND CNN MILITARY ANALYST SPIDER MARKS AND FORMER ADVISER TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL VICTOR CHA