North Korea, Iraq situations: an analysis (part 1)

North Korea problem, conflict in Iraq: an analysis.
Part 1 of ?

With the Rep. Mark Foley scandal in the US and the North Korea nuclear issue internationally (as well as Madonna's adoption... don't get me started on that one), the struggle in Iraq has been greatly overshadowed in recent weeks. No worries! The record violence — still growing in veracity and frequency — has yet to subside. In addition, Iraq has been given a boost in the news headlines thanks to policy changes (or lack of changes) and statements coming from the White House and, on a smaller (in number of changes/statements and significance) note, Downing Street. A whole spew of talk coming from generals, politicians, spin doctors, advisors, and journalists themselves has been released onto the river of news stories (current events, if you will).

In this series of posts on both the problem of North Korean nukes and of Iraq in general, I will do my best to analyze the situations in North Korea and Iraq, focussing mostly on the latter since I have already given much attention to the former. The strife in Iraq, unlike the situation N. Korea, is more deadly, regionally destabilizing, problematic for Iraq and the parties involved or bordering the nation, a calling point for cultural (i.e. Islamic) extremists and terrorist organizations, and an international problem; North Korea is largely an international and regional problem. Both the situation in North Korea and in Iraq have major ties in three ways: international relations, US foreign policy, and the 'axis of evil' link — including [regional strife inciting] international destabilization.

Since, as I mentioned earlier, I have focused so much on the North Korean issue I intend to have this series of pieces largely be on Iraq. They will deal largely with the current state of both situations, but also give background to why the current state of affairs exists.

Parts 2 and 3 will be coming in the next several days.
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