Both North Korea and Bill Clinton are at it again. North Korea has decided that as long as they aren’t going to abide by some of their agreement with us, they aren’t going to abide by any of it, and so have restarted their plutonium based nuclear program and are telling the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) to take a hike. They also are telling the world that their army is ready to fight a death defying battle and deliver bitter defeat and death to the United States. One thing you have two admire about communist countries is their colorful language. Democratically elected politicians try to speak in the blandest of terms; repressive regimes get to let it all hang out, rhetorically speaking. But that’s the only thing I can admire about the government of North Korea (or any other communist government), which has provided a stark contrast in the importance of political systems with South Korea. Whatever else you want to say about the Korean War, (or the Vietnam War, for that matter), history has clearly shown we were on the right side.

And Bill Clinton continues his Cliff Clavin routine by claiming that he had a plan to destroy North Korea’s nuclear reactor. Just like he left behind a detailed plan to deal with al Qaeda in the oval office that George Bush somehow misplaced. The contents of that memo can now be revealed: “Do as I will say, not as I did. PS Whatever you do, don’t send Jimmy!” The really interesting part of this is that Clinton is saying he would have gone to war with North Korea over their nuclear program – which is what George Bush is saying in regards to Iraq. Maybe it isn’t the oil, maybe it’s the mushroom cloud, stupid.

Iran, not wanting to be left out of the axis of evil, is building their own nuclear facilities. Strictly for power generation according to Iran, but they did forget to mention it to the IAEA, and they have postponed inspections after the IAEA asked them what they were doing. But who am I to doubt the official Iranian statements when North Korea seems downright proud of its double dealing?

So many lying, conniving, murdering regimes, so few Marines.

I’m a little late coming to the party about the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitude Survey. My feeling, expressed by many others, is who cares what other countries think? We should do what we think is right, not give into peer pressure. However, plenty of people think this means we are too rich and powerful. To which I respond, this means we’re not rich and powerful enough. The big complaint seems to be that 

“Many people around the world, especially in Europe and the Middle East/Conflict Area, believe the U.S. does not take into account the interests of their country when making international policies. Majorities in most countries also see U.S. policies as contributing to the growing gap between rich and poor nations and believe the United States does not do the right amount to solve global problems.”

If the United States was rich and powerful enough, we could give up any worries about our own well being, share the wealth with everybody else, and never bother to advance our own interests. As it is, we act like other countries and take care of number one first. I think we do look out for the common good more than most other countries (I’m in the American majority here). Let’s face it, the problem with the world isn’t that America isn’t liked enough, the problem is the rest of the world isn’t enough like America.

City Journal has a depressing and scary article about the failure of immigrants to assimilate in France. From what little I know, this same article could be written about most European countries, which took in immigrants in the 60’s and 70’s at a time of low unemployment but are now stuck with a lump of locally born yet unassimilated foreigners who have by and large never known work. They form a sort of Islamic Horse. Europe has very high unemployment due to “enlightened” work policies, unassimilated immigrants due to “enlightened” multiculturalism, and the breakdown of society within these immigrant communities due to an “enlightened” welfare state. After reading the article, I have to wonder if America won’t be called upon again to fight in Europe if these communities become centers of terrorism or even go to war against their hosts.