Will Kielm & Axel de Vernou
As tensions flare in the Middle East, with some calling for the destruction of Iran’s nuclear program, two other American adversaries are signaling that they are increasingly prepared to resort to their nuclear arsenals. Russian President Vladimir Putin revised Moscow’s nuclear doctrine, sanctioning the use of the atomic option in response to an attack supported by a nuclear power. A few days later, North Korea unveiled a uranium enrichment facility, accompanied by weapons equipped to fire long-range missiles.
These developments follow Putin’s declaration that Western long-range weapons firing into Russian territory would constitute an act of war. The past summer saw a series of warm meetings between Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. In June, the two leaders signed a mutual defense pact that promised military aid to the party embroiled in war. Then, for the first time in 24 years, Putin visited Pyongyang to exchange gifts and positive assurances. Goats, artillery shells, and pledges for further cooperation were traded in August as Russia directed its attention to the Kursk oblast and North Korea attempted to mitigate its food shortages.
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