I'M SHOCKED, SHOCKED, AT THIS PERFIDY – AT 8:59 A.M. ET:  Apparently, Iranian officials were present to observe last week's launch of a North Korean rocket, just as smiling Iranian diplomats were sitting down with other nations in Turkey to negotiate over Iran's nuclear program.

There have been credible, widespread reports that Iran depends on North Korea for some missile and nuclear technology.  North Korea already has the bomb.  From the Jerusalem Post:

A dozen Iranian officials traveled to North Korea to observe the country's rocket launch, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported Monday, quoting a diplomatic source.

The much hyped long-range rocket launch ended in failure on Friday. According to US and South Korean officials the rocket crashed into the sea a few minutes after send-off. Pyongyang had defied international pressure from the United States, the United Nations and others to push ahead with the launch timed to celebrate the 100th birthday of Kim Il-sung, the deceased founder of the state, and to coincide with the ascent to power of his grandson Kim Jong-un.

The diplomatic source told Yonhap that the Iranians from the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG) arrived in North Korea a couple of weeks earlier, "undoubtedly there to observe the missile launch and receive test data," from the country...

...According to the news agency, South Korean government officials did not confirm or deny the claims.

COMMENT:  And the Iranian foreign minister said on Monday that his country was ready to resolve all nuclear issues.  He then threw in the clunker:

"If the West wants to take confidence-building measures it should start in the field of sanctions because this action can speed up the process of negotiations reaching results," Salehi was quoted as saying.

Why do I think the Iranians will actually do little, while we'll be expected to relax sanctions, giving the Iranians far more than we get?  I think it because that has been the pattern with North Korea, which engages in endless rounds of negotiations, gets "incentives" in the form of aid, then goes out and does exactly what it wishes in the way of nuclear and missile tests.

Obama wants an agreement badly.  Something to show the base before the election.  That desire may overwhelm common sense, which is why we must be wary.

April 16, 2012