Look, I'm not going to defend Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The Muslims in those countries are pretty extreme and many follow Wahabbist philosophies, which make them our enemy. However, as I said before, there are some countries we can deal with diplomatically, because we have direct engagement with their government and have leverage to exert diplomatic pressure against them. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia fit that bill.
Saddam's Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, on the other hand, were explicitly hostile to the U.S. and had a high probability of proliferating WMD. In North Korea and Iran's case, we already know they purchased WMD materials and information from A.Q. Khan. Additionally, we have very little leverage other than military to get those countries to stop being a menace to the U.S. So when all other options are exhausted, the military is used. Iraq had 10 years to get their act together. Saddam failed, so he was removed.
Iran is the next target, unless they get their act together. |
