Iran, N.Korea, and nukes

Today North Korea announced that it has nuclear weapons. The U.S. is pursuing diplomatic relations with North Korea, even though we know they despise us to the core. This is because we know that as long as we keep paying Kim Jong Il, he will not nuke anyone.

Today the president of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, in a fiery speech to the Iranian people announced that for any invaders Iran would become a 'burning hell'. Iran has been cooperative and open up until this point, voluntarily suspending its uranium enrichment program. Iran needs the uranium for nuclear power, which is necessary for Iran's growing population. They have promised not to use the enriched uranium for nuclear weapons. Until now they have seemed open to diplomacy and cooperation. The U.S. administration has been making sounds of war though, and it seems the Iranians' patience is wearing thin. I can't say as I blame them.

We saw that the weapons inspections were actually working in Saddam's Iraq (even though Saddam had reason for wanting the world to think the inspections weren't working). How much better would they work in Iran? I don't know the anwer to this question, but my gut tells me they could work.

Why would we continue diplomatic relations with North Korea and not with Iran? North Korea has always been threatening and belligerent in its posturing, while Iran has been open to dialogue. We are rewarding the war-mongerers and punishing the cooperators. The only conclusion I can reach is that our administration is looking for any excuse to invade yet another middle eastern country in the name of 'spreading freedom and tolerance'.

'Spreading freedom and tolerance' = 'You do it our way or else'. This is truly Orwellian.