The simple fact is that neither Iran nor North Korea will give up their nuclear ambitions (or realities, in the likely case of NoKor) simply because the West wants to play nice. Iran's worldview is diametrically opposed to the democracy and freedom enjoyed in the west and nuclear weapons make Iran a major regional and international power in a way that its oil reserves never could. North Korea's worldview is pathologically insane and the nuclear weapons enable it to remain an island of stagnation within the larger area of Asian economic and social progress. Nukes allow Kimland to stay separate from the world while simultaneously allowing it to threaten, cajol, and browbeat South Korea into more concessions and more "openness."
Here is a quote from the NY Times article (link above) that crystallizes the situation:
[A former Bush administration] official noted that Mr. Bush and his aides had been talking as if North Korea and Iran would follow the model of Libya, which disarmed earlier this year in an effort to re-integrate its economy with the West. But, the official argued, Iran does not need to do that because it has robust trade with Europe, and North Korea still receives considerable aid from China.
Proof of the failures are in David Sanger's article in the NY Times and Condoleeza Rice's statement on Meet the Press that the US will not allow Iran to go on-line with nuclear weapons.
Hat-tip: QandO
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