The Foreign Service Journal, April 2007

an onslaught of Soviet rockets? Mutually Assured Destruction worked with half a dozen different Soviet leaders. Why shouldn’t it work with smaller carbuncles on the inter- national scene? Neither Kim Jong Il nor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in- sane. And an announced commit- ment on our part to obliterate both countries simultaneously if either allows even one of its weapons to be used against the United States should promote serious cooperation be- tween these two countries to monitor each other’s actions, deter further weapons development or their spread to terrorist organizations. It would also give leaders of all nations pause for thought about the search for pres- tige as members of the nuclear club. Both Kennan and Klein recom- mended patience and talks, hopefully leading to acceptable solutions. Chirac seems to be saying much the same thing. Let’s give the Kennan/ Klein/Chirac prescription a chance. Perhaps then in 50 years we can sit down with successor leadership in Iran and North Korea as partners in one or another international organi- zation. David Brighton Timmins FSO, retired Salt Lake City, Utah A P R I L 2 0 0 7 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 9 L E T T E R S Send your letters to: journal@afsa.org . Note that all letters are subject to editing for style, format and length.