President Obama’s defense of his nuclear deal with Iran echoes President Bill Clinton’s defense of his disastrous nuclear deal with North Korea, the Free Beacon found.
In 1994, the Clinton administration tried to entice North Korea to forgo its nuclear program by giving it oil, nuclear energy technology, and sanctions relief. The deal collapsed after a decade when North Korea pocketed U.S. concessions and raced for the bomb. The hermit kingdom tested its first nuclear weapon in 2006 and has subsequently developed enough nuclear material for six bombs.
Today, the Obama administration is trying to entice Iran to forgo its nuclear program by giving it nuclear technology, $100 to $150 billion in previously-frozen assets, and sanctions relief on its weapons trade, ballistic missile program, and top military commanders. The restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program begin to subside after eight years, leaving the Islamic republic with near-zero breakout time to construct a bomb when the deal ends.
Both Clinton and Obama claimed that their deals reduced the risk of nuclear proliferation, although Clinton’s deal ultimately led to further proliferation concerns. Since acquiring its nuclear arsenal, North Korea has exported nuclear secrets to other rogue regimes, including Iran and Syria.
In a very direct way, then, Clinton’s rapprochement with North Korea has contributed to the crisis unfolding in Iran.