blevkog

For those who think that these strikes and the urgency for taking out middle-eastern dictators has nothing to do with oil, should promptly shut-up after reading that Fox News article.

It's amazing that they would consider striking Iran over it's nuclear program, but not North Korea. Maybe it's cause Iran is close to Israel (America's 51st State) or perhaps it's because Iran is sitting on a lake of oil. Most likely, it's a combination of both.

Kim Jong Ill should have been removed years ago, especially after their persuit of a nuclear program. And yet, their citizens remain oppressed and starving under sanctions because they do not have the blessing of black gold undernieth them.

Oh, and anyone justifying such a policy within the bounds of the Just War Theology should read a book on Constantine.

I must correct myself:

It's amazing that they would consider striking Iran over it's nuclear program, BEFORE North Korea. Maybe it's cause Iran is close to Israel (America's 51st State) or perhaps it's because Iran is sitting on a lake of oil. Most likely, it's a combination of both.

I would be surprised if they ever actually do anything direct about North Korea, Dylan. Even amid chants for war with Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Iran, they still talk about negotiation as being the key to dealing with North Korea.

There are at least two reasons for this aside from the economic insignificance you mentioned. The West really has no idea about how crazy the North Korean leadership is and therefore how likely they wouldn't just expend their arsenal inflicting heavy civilian casualties. If intelligence estimates are anything like the Jane's estimate, they have the arsenal to make a mess of southeast Asia.

Secondly, a holding pattern might outlast current leadership and time alone might produce a government that can be dealt with. Or a holding pattern and an assassination or something else clever and tricky like that.

I expect the Iranians are prepared and able to defend themselves pretty well, but I don't know how capable they are of launching missiles into their neighbours. I still think that negotiating and waiting them out might work in this case, but there is always the economic imperative...

You forgot the main reason for not attacking North Korea - it's a bit too close to China for comfort and the U.S. isn't prepared to take them on. Of course, a lot of the diplomacy taking place is actually being undertaken by China and South Korea - China's not prepared to go to the mat either, and the money China's pouring into North Korea's about the only thing keeping the country afloat, given the unholy mess that Kim Il Jong's made of their economy, and as insane as he is - he knows that.