Vision Circle

Who's next?

From an interview of Richard Perle, published in National Review Online dated March 9, evidence against an immediate subsequent invasion of Iran or Syria. Not all regime change is intended to be achieved by force:

Taheri: Who will be your next target? Iran, Syria, Libya?

Perle: Change is needed in all those three countries, and a few others besides. But the Iraqi case is unique. I think Iran can be changed by the action of the Iranian people. We shall provide whatever support they need to ensure the success of the reform movement. I believe that Syria, too, can organize change from within. As for Libya, it is a weird case. For the time being it is out of world reality. But the colonel knows that we have our eyes on him.

Of course, add North Korea to the list of countries in obvious need of regime change. A UPI report mirrored here notes that Libya has accelerated its pursuit of nuclear weapons since UN sanctions were dropped in 1999. Michael Bolton, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs, also gave a warning:

In the interview, Bolton said he hoped the removal of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein from power would send a message to Libya, Syria and Iran. "We are hoping that the elimination of the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein and the elimination of all of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction would be important lessons to other countries in the region particularly Syria, Libya, and Iran, that the cost of their pursuit of weapons of mass destruction is potentially quite high."

The question remains: will countries such as Libya actually be intimidated into stopping pursuit of WMD or will they seek nuclear weapons as a deterrent to US intervention?

One downside to having taken this action in Iraq is that all affected countries will be seeing what US doctrine may be like in the future, and may attempt to develop countermeasures.