COLUMNS

Where the North Korean Crisis Meets the Iran Nuclear Deal

Dec 5, 2017 | 23:45 GMT

The determination to stop Iran from following North Korea's lead in developing nuclear weapons could end up pushing Tehran back on a nuclear path.

(iStock)

By virtue of its military might, the United States has the unique ability to quickly -- and credibly -- place its most intractable adversaries under existential threat. Command over the world's most powerful military gives a country options, and the option of regime change can be a tempting one for Washington as it tries to work through some of its more maddening foreign policy dilemmas. A government living under the constant, lurking threat of decapitation does not particularly enjoy stewing in its own paranoia over what social fissures its enemies can exploit, which allies they can turn and what chain of events could finally push the United States into action. That's why a nuclear deterrent is such an alluring prospect: What better way to kill your adversaries' fantasy of regime change than to stand with them as near-equals on a nuclear plane? This is North Korea's rationale as the country closes in...

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