The United States and other countries are acting quite firmly to try and effect regime change in Venezuela. Much more firmly than they are acting toward North Korea. Even though both governments are causing their people misery and their neighbors distress. This double standard will effect nuclear weapon proliferation and I will show you how.Let’s say you are the dictator (or hereditary monarch) of an emerging nation and your nation is likely to get crosswise with the USA because of lack of civil liberties, extremist religious views or a desire for socialism. If you follow the North Korea scheme and get nukes you might be able to get away with it for a generation or two. If you try to become Venezuela not so much. After a decade or so the neighbors or the USA and it’s allies will be coming for you.

The lesson that Saudi Arabia is likely learning from this differential treatment has to be that they need nuclear weapons. And it might also be true for Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria and a few other countries.

If Venezuela deserves regime change so does North Korea. Or neither does. Don’t send the world the wrong signal. Or rational dictators will go nuclear. Next we’ll take a look at Ukraine’s experience with becoming non-nuclear.