As North Korea’s economic position worsens, the risk that it sells its nuclear weapons technology grows.
That's a rare admission these days.
What's really funny, however, is that the authors raise the possibility of North Korea selling a nuke to a non-state actor!
Perhaps the people at The National Interest are so invested in defending the Iran nuclear deal that they simply cannot even raise the possibility that the primary potential client who could buy nuclear weapons from North Korea is Iran.
That's been my worry for a long time. North Korea may be failing to use their proto-nukes to blackmail countries into paying tribute to a broke North Korea (neighbors are buying offensive and defensive weapons, instead), but North Korea could get a lot of money from customers rather than from potential targets of nuclear weapons.
And since the nuclear deal with Iran that lifted sanctions and released money to Iran, Iran now has the cash to buy what it needs and the ability to pursue nuclear technology without fear of attack for a decade.
And the Obama administration admits Iran is free to develop the missiles to carry nuclear warheads despite the deal.
Iran could develop the scientific and technical dual-use base knowledge to eventually build nuclear warheads and missiles while never technically violating the deal that prevents them from pursuing weapons (although I think Iran will cheat--because they can), while buying nuclear weapons from North Korea as an interim nuclear deterrent to hold off attacks on their domestic nuclear industry before it can start cranking out nuclear weapons after the deal expires.
But no, according to authors, some raggedy non-state actor is the most likely customer for North Korean nukes. Good grief, that's ridiculous.
Have a super sparkly day.
