For months, the United States has been threatening war against Iraq, and until recently, that is all it has been worried about. But now, as North Korea threatens nuclear action, the United States should consider paying attention to North Korea’s demands.

Looking at the situation rationally , North Korea isn’t a threat to the United States. The country is only the size of Mississippi, and the country is in no economic state to engage in war successfully.

However, North Korea has made it known that it has the capability to make more nuclear weapons, it backed out of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and it kicked United Nations weapons inspectors from a facility that some believe is being used to process uranium for a nuclear bomb.

Most likely, North Korea is making threats to get attention from other nations. In the past, North Korea has threatened war and received food aid in exchange for ceasing its threats. The country may be trying the same tactic again.

Following Sept. 11, President George W. Bush associated North Korea with Iran and Iraq, calling the three “an axis of evil.” This statement could have made North Korea upset, leading them to begin making threats. The most obvious question is still left unanswered. Why is the United States focusing all of its attention on Iraq, a country only thought to have nuclear weapons, when it is known that North Korea has nuclear weapons, and the country is now threatening to use them?

North Korea is trying hard to call attention to itself, and the United States should pay a little less attention to the less threatening Iraq, and take the time to find out why North Korea is threatening to build more nuclear weapons. If North Korea doesn’t get what it is it wants, who knows where they’ll point their weapons.