[Linkage: DIA "Bombshell" Assessment that North Korea May Now Have Nuclear Missiles Could Accelerate Israeli Calculus for Hitting Iran by Joel C. Rosenberg]

"* U.S. intel: Assad's days numbered. "We just don't know the number."
* Damascus Countdown hits NYT list for 5th week

(Washington, D.C., April 12, 2013) -- The news that the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency now believes North Korea may be able to miniaturize its nuclear warheads and fit them on ballistic missiles means the crisis on the Korean Peninsula involves not just one but two dangerous scenarios.

First, that Kim Jung Un -- the Pyongyang man-child dictator -- will trigger a nuclear war in East Asia, either purposefully or accidentally. The last Korean war cost more than 2.5 million lives. The next one could cost many multiples of that. Seoul alone is a city of some 12 million people.

Second, that Benjamin Netanyahu -- the Israeli Prime Minister -- will feel compelled to launch a massive preemptive strike against Iran's nuclear facilities sooner rather than later. Why? Because the rapid advancement of North Korea in building nuclear warheads capable of fitting on ballistic missiles means Iran is not far behind from accomplishing the same if North Korea is selling their research to the mullahs in Tehran.

This could accelerate the Israeli calculus for taking decisive action since neither the Obama administration nor other world powers appear to be taking decisive steps of their own to neutralize the Iranian nuclear threat.

This is what I call "linkage."

While on the surface North Korea is creating a crisis that is unique to the Pacific theater, the sober truth is that the crisis actually has direct and immediate implications for the Middle East. Israeli leaders are monitoring the North Korean developments very closely. They are also watching equally closely how the White House is handling the Korean situation.

At this point, Netanyahu and his advisors are likely drawing the following conclusions:

1. Pyongyang either has or nearly has not just an operational nuclear warhead, but one that can be fitted on a ballistic missile;

2. Therefore, because Iran and North Korea are working so closely together, it must be assumed that Iran is even closer to having deliverable nuclear missiles than previously believed;

3. The U.S. intends to take no decisive action to stop Pyongyang from becoming a nuclear weapons power;

4. Therefore, it can be assumed that the U.S. is not going to take decisive action to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear weapons power;

5. In the cases of both North Korea and Iran, the Obama administration talks tough, but carries a little stick - the U.S. merely intends to contain and deter these two countries from using nuclear weapons, not really prevent them from building them;

6. Thus, Israel is on its own, and may need to move hard and fast to keep Iran from crossing the red line, after which Israel won't have an effective military option.

"The results of a classified Defense Intelligence Agency report indicate that..." Full text: Linkage: DIA “bombshell” assessment that North Korea may now have nuclear missiles could accelerate Israeli calculus for hitting Iran

Linkage: DIA "Bombshell" Assessment that North Korea May Now Have Nuclear Missiles...