From the Asian branch of the Axis of Evil (if we still believe in such things):
North Korea says it has resumed plutonium production by reprocessing spent fuel rods and has no plans to stop nuclear tests as long as perceived U.S. threats remain, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday.
North Korea's Atomic Energy Institute, which has jurisdiction over the country's Yongbyon nuclear facilities, also told Kyodo it had been producing highly enriched uranium necessary for nuclear arms and power "as scheduled."
I will note what I asked about a year ago when the news of new Plutonium production on top of their Uranium production came out:
North Korea increases production of two types of nuclear weapon material just as Iran agrees to suspend their work with possible military dimensions.
Isn't that a crazy coincidence?
Given that we know that Iran and North Korea have worked together, why do we assume that North Korean actions are related to tensions with America?
According to North Korea, we've been planning an invasion of that Pearl of Northeast Asia for 50-plus years now. It's imminent war 24/7 as far as Pyongyang is concerned.
But North Korea is desperate for money to survive. North Korea has but two potential exports: ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads.
And Iran has money. And because of the Iran deal, Iran has more money--including $400 million in cash.
Am I really too suspicious when I wrote this?
I've long worried that a nuclear deal with Iran will fail to consider that Iran is likely outsourcing some parts of their nuclear program. But what if I'm thinking small?
What if North Korea sells Iran nuclear missiles and rents the facilities in North Korea to launch them?
From North Korea, these missiles could reach Europe, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, and a number of targets in America. So Iran doesn't need to have the missiles inside Iran, really.
As I've observed every once in a while, hiding what you are doing from an enemy is often impossible. It was always unlikely that North Korea could hide their nuclear work.
What is key is having a plausible alternative reason for doing what can be seen that your enemy will believe instead of the true reason.
Nobody would believe that North Korea is pursuing cheap and clean nuclear energy (as so many here are willing to say they believe in regard to Iran--Iran has muddied the waters enough, eh?).
Everybody is willing to believe that the psychotic regime in Pyongyang wants nuclear weapons to threaten South Korea, Japan, and America.
And truth be told, they do want that.
But how many consider that a major reason for North Korea's program is to make money? And that Iran is likely customer number one?
