Over the weekend North Korea tested a short-range missile over the Sea of Japan. This comes at a sensitive time as major nations try to persuade the Communist state to return to the negotiating table to resume talks aimed at managing their nuclear program. It is acknowledged that North Korea now has the missile technology to launch a nuclear strike against the United States. By summer the nuclear bomb itself would be ready to use.

American diplomatic efforts are still aimed at negotiation, at least that is the official line. Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice says she wants to see North Korea return to the table. America has waited on China to take the lead in persuading North Korea to pull in its program and adopt a more reasonable stance. This has not happened, likely because China wants to see the decline of American influence in the region. The "North Korean card" is an means to accomplish this.

Japan is another part of the equation. A nuclear armed North Korea is unacceptable to the Japanese. It would force them to kick start their nuclear program and rapidly develop their capability, something that could be done within a six month period. The escalation of nuclear nations in Asia is not a pleasant scenario. One misstep or miscalculation would be catastrophic. It reminds me of Europe in the early summer of 1914. Armed nations pushing each other toward the unthinkable.

Meanwhile, Iran has said it will resume nuclear work toward producing bomb making material. This reverses the agreement they made last year with Britain, Germany and France to stop their nuclear work. The change in plans could likely send them to the United Nations by summer to answer for their actions. The United States has said a nuclear Iran is "unacceptable" and has hinted that military action is possible to prevent their making a bomb. It could be a hot summer.

We'll have an article in the May issue of World News and Prophecy entitled, Mr. Sharon Comes to Washington--and Iran is on His Mind" written by senior writer Cecil Maranville. Be watching.