John, Korea is a completely different Scenario.
The US provided the bulk of the troops because it was the only nation that could. US had bases in japan and all throught the pacific. Euro nations were struggling to recover from WW2 both militarily and economically.
However, UN nations DID send troops to FIGHT. The UN took ACTION in Korea.
Korea was the only time in UN's history that it's fulfilled its charter.
The first Gulf War was a shameful performance for the UN.. the 2nd gulf war put the first nail in the UN's coffin.
Iran and N. Korea are building nukes to protect themselves from the western world not just the USA. Those 2 are nations that have fruitcake dictators in power for a long time and who'se powerbase is too secure inside their countries.
The only threat to them comes from the outside. And the only way to prevent others from overthrowing them is to have nuclear weapons, for they know their armed forces dont stand a chance against any of the big powers in the planet.
Kerry wants to talk to them? Welcome to 40 years ago. Talks with N. Korea have only benefited N. Korea. Kim rattles his saber and the international community begs him to talk and throw money and heating oil his way. The international community demands something of him in the negotation tables and Kim always has brought up something and walked out on the talks.
Talks dont work when the other side only uses them to buy time.
Iran is a dictatorship based not on one's person's power, but on religious extremism that benefits a large portion of those in positions of power (bussinessmen, most males, military officers, etc). If their system of gov. falls, all those people fall with it, so its in their best interest to keep the extremists in power to keep themselves in the priviledged positions of power. And again, the only thing that can threaten them can only come from the outside.
Iran has seen what happened to 2 'fellow' arab nations, they now find themselves surrounded by potential enemies (US, NATO and Israel). Only thing that will guarantee they dont get invaded to kick the extremists out of power is nukes.
Kerry wants to talk to them? What could he possibly talk them into? All he will achieve is Iran pulling a 'Korean Kim' on him until Iran has working nukes and their powerbase is safe from threats from the outside.
Imo Bush has done the right thing. He knew N. Korea and Iran have working nuke programs, and now he has isolated these volatile nations and has put inmense pressure on them, a pressure not based on sanctions or sanctions composed of toothless words, but by actions.
Lybia abandoned its nuke program... that one I did not expect at all. But when you think about it, Lybia is the most isolated of the arab nations right now and the most vulnerable militarily since its got all the western powers practically next door and a rather pro-west gov (egypt) cutting off their connection with the arab world. They had no choice but to comply or be next on the menu.
The biggest threat to the world right now is not terrorrism or WMD proliferation. Its the proliferation of WMD terrorrism.
And in dealing with that threat, 2 nations with known WMD programs have been knocked out , 2 remain.
