This isn't just about North Korea. You can bet that Tehran is watching the world's reaction to Pyongyang's defiance very closely. If confirmed, will North Korea pay a price for exploding a nuclear weapon or will the world community huff and puff and sweep all this unpleasantness under the rug? Will the Security Council impose Chapter 7 sanctions and enforce them or go wobbly? If the major capitals of the world fail to act decisively, Ahmadinejad's hand will be further strengthened against the few inside the regime who may be arguing that the scale and pace of Iran's nuclear weapons program isn't worth the price. We may also have to face the reality that no amount of diplomacy - and we've had lots of it -- will convince either regime to give up its nuclear weapons ambitions.
Daniel McKivergan
Iran is Watching
This isn't just about North Korea. You can bet that Tehran is watching the world's reaction to Pyongyang's defiance very closely. If confirmed, will North Korea pay a price for exploding a nuclear weapon or will the world community huff and puff and sweep all this unpleasantness under the rug? Will…
Daniel McKivergan · October 9, 2006
More from Daniel McKivergan
Package Petraeus' Remarks in a Resolution Jan 23, 2007
Harry Reid and Iran Jan 22, 2007
The Biden-Levin-Hagel Iraq Resolution Jan 20, 2007
"Constraining" the Commander Jan 19, 2007