JOHN GIBSON, HOST: How likely is a second North Korean nuclear weapons test? Here now is Michael O’Hanlon, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, co-author of the book Hard Power: The New Politics of National Security (Brookings, 2006).
So, Michael, do you figure that they’re going to light another one off because the secretary is over there?
MICHAEL O’HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Well, John, they have two big arguments to confront, and they pull in opposite directions, so I think it’s tough to predict.
On the one hand, they want to make sure their bombs work and they also want to show they’re not intimidated by this strong international response.
On the other hand, they don’t want to make Secretary Rice’s job any easier. And the U.S. has had a pretty good two weeks diplomatically after this North Korean test. It finally was the straw that broke the camel’s back, even in China and South Korea.
Commentary
How Likely Is Second North Korea Nuke Test?
October 19, 2006