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Axis, Schmaxis

The Wall Street Journal reports more evidence of cooperation between North Korea and Iran:

In a 2008 paper published by the Korea Economic Institute, Dr. Christina Lin of Jane’s Information Group noted that “Increased visits to Iran by DPRK nuclear specialists in 2003 reportedly led to a DPRK-Iran agreement for the DPRK to either initiate or accelerate work with Iranians to develop nuclear warheads that could be fitted on the DPRK No-dong missiles that the DPRK and Iran were jointly developing.  Thus, despite the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate stating that Iran in 2003 had halted weaponization of its nuclear program, this was the time that Iran outsourced to the DPRK for proxy development of nuclear warheads.”Another noteworthy detail: According to a 2003 report in the L.A. Times, “So many North Koreans are working on nuclear and missile projects in Iran that a resort on the Caspian coast is set aside for their exclusive use.”  [Brett Stephens, Wall Street Journal]

What?  The Axis of Evil thing wasn’t a big myth after all?

I continue to enjoy watching our new President grow into the responsibilities of office and make what have been, in large part, mature judgments about threats like these.  The only thing I’ve enjoyed more is the revulsion of his most strident supporters as he does.

5 Responses

  1. I think it’s great that Obama has been forced – with intel briefings of how things really are – to move into a more moderate or even conservative position on many of these issues. The American voter population should take note.

  2. I agree with Richardson.

    I ought to also add that a 180 degree conversion is common with many critics of outsized executive power, once they achieve power–e.g. Thomas Jefferson. A confrontation with the complexity of governing is always the best anti-dote to simplistic, utopian formulas.

    Of course, with someone as slick as Obama, it’s always possible that his homilies to the inviolability of “the rule of law” has always been nothing but an ingratiating rhetoric.