An Alternative Explanation

The deal with North Korea is supposedly a bad deal that sets a bad example for Iran. This line of thought says we are showing Iran that going nuclear will be rewarded in the end.

But North Korea has always been the junior member of the Axis of Evil. The Long War is against Islamofascists and North Korea is the odd man in there, remember? North Korea fits in there as a possible supplier of nuclear technology to Islamofascists. There are few Kimunists outside of International ANSWER.

That is why I've long placed North Korea at the bottom of the pile in our threat universe. We have the Proliferation Security Initiative to intercept nuclear shipments with allies watching for this threat. And Seoul is in no more danger of destruction if Pyongyang gets nukes than they are from thousands of North Korean artillery and rocket tubes pointing at the city. Containing North Korea until they collapse has always been my preferred method of dealing with them.

And in the meantime, Iran is the biggest remaining threat. They are aggressive, hostile, and on the verge of going nuclear. Tehran is what we must worry about.

So, work with me here. What if we are committed to stopping Iran from going nuclear. Some accuse us of wanting war with Iran and fabricating reasons for war. This makes it a hard sell to take down the mullahs.

So what if the North Korean deal is nothing that saves North Korea in the long run, but provides us with a great example that we really will cut a deal--even an imperfect one--and are not determined to go to war with a member of the Axis of Evil? What if this deal lets us paint Iran's refusal to deal --even as we've shown we will deal with another member of the Axis of Evil--as evidence the mullahs are determined to go nuclear and unwilling to negotiate with us?

What if the North Korean deal helps us rally support for forceful action against Iran?

I just offer this speculation as an alternative to the argument that suddenly the Bush administration has gone all Albrighty on us over North Korea after years of holding solid against a pretend deal.