Those who don’t something, something history, something… it’s probably not important.

Talk about history repeating itself. Two years ago almost to the day (7/5/2006), North Korea test fired some missiles as a show of force. One aimed, though it fell far short, at Hawaii.

(source: CNN )

and here’s what the government said about it:

The United States strongly condemns North Korea's decision to defy international calls for restraint and proceed with the test launch of a series of ballistic missiles

"This provocative act violates a standing moratorium on missile tests to which the North had previously committed," the statement said. "Regardless of whether the series of launches occurred as North Korea planned, they nevertheless demonstrate North Korea's intent to intimidate other states by developing missiles of increasingly longer ranges."

(source: press release us embassy in Japan)

In fact, when North Korea was talking about doing missile tests we stepped up diplomacy in the months before and after. In fact, I blogged about it because it was strange we took this tact when we didn’t with Saddam, and even back then they were talking about regime change in Iran: ( my blog)

And that was a month before the actual tests.

The point is all this has happened before and it worked out pretty well for N. Korea:

We lifted the Trading with the Enemy Act with respect to N. Korea, even though the president criticizes them pretty badly in his statement, why should they care, they get trade. (source: White House Press Release)

So, if we follow the steps:

• North Korea has a nuclear program
• 
  
• North Korea test fires a missile
• 
  
• US talks tough
• 
  
• US opens talks with North Korea and lifts sanctions.

NOW:

• Iran has a nuclear program
• 
  
• Iran test fires a missile
• US talks tough
• Therefore, …(waiting for article to be published later this year)

A child seeing another child getting attention for acting out, then he or she would also act out. It’s the way humans are. Can anyone blame Iran for what they’re doing? For that matter, considering how much the Republican party and it’s nominee talk about attacking (bomb, bomb, bomb) Iran, who could blame them for giving a show of force.

Granted Iran is run by a crazy person who thinks Israel doesn’t deserve to exist, and would be fine with all Jews dying. He’s not a person we want in charge of a powerful country, much less one with a nuke, so the sooner he’s gone, the better. But another occupation is not the answer.

I agree with the aggressive diplomacy Barack suggests. The surest way to ensure that Iran attacks someone, is to give them no other choice but to do so. Apparently talks worked with N. Korea (e.g.: we’re not at war). So why won’t it work with Iran? The best way to get people to embrace democracy, is to show them it’s not going to kill them. Literally.

Add avoiding war with Iran to the growing list of reasons not to vote for McCain.