Experts: N. Korea test may embolden Iran

[cal04]

North Korea's claim to have tested an atomic bomb could embolden Iran as it defies the U.N. Security Council and the United States over its own nuclear program, analysts said Monday.

For months, Iran has been under close scrutiny by the United States and Washington's allies, who claim the country is secretly developing nuclear weapons. Tehran insists its program is solely for generating electricity.

The world's attention turned abruptly from Iran to North Korea on Monday when the isolated communist nation announced it had set off an underground nuclear blast.

(snip)
"The test doesn't mean Iran will pursue a similar path because Iran is not after a bomb, but will help Iran to buy time and pursue its program as the world concentrates on North Korea," he said. (Hamid Reza Shokouhi, a political writer at the moderate Mardomsalari (Democracy) daily newspaper in Iran)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061009/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_korea_2

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. If the world does nothing more than finger

waggle, absolutely.

See I have nukes, they won't touch me.

The next week will be critical.

Now what is missed in this story is that this test will drive the point home to Japan, they NEED to become a nuclear power too.