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The Chinese are wrong to overlook North Korea's broken promise not to test nuclear weapons, in the interests of "trying to warm long-strained relations." So they are told by John Kerry. But I, the Secretary of State of the United States of America, am right to overlook Iran's repeated provocations in the interests of, er, of trying to warm long-strained relations. China is wrong to continue providing Kim Jong-un with vital oil and other supplies worth billions even though the Supreme Leader ordered the testing of a nuclear weapon. But I am right to provide Ayatollah Khamenei with $150 billion in hard cash, to be used, it turns out, to support the enterprises of his Revolutionary Guard, even though the Supreme Leader ordered the firing of ballistic missiles aimed a relative few yards from our aircraft carrier and promises that "the great and vigorous nation of Iran ...as before will punch them [Americans] in the mouth." Get it? You do to North Korea's Supreme Leader what I refuse to do to Iran's Supreme Leader. If incredulous, read on.
Our Secretary of State, disturbed by North Korea's latest nuclear test, called his Chinese counterpart to advise him that China's policy to prevent such acts by North Korea, which depends for its very existence on oil and other goods from China, "has not worked" and must end. Kerry, reports the New York Times, "told his counterpart ... that China's approach to influencing North Korea - issuing warnings while also trying to warm long-strained relations - had proved a failure." This shortly after issuing warnings of new sanctions to Iran and within the hour withdrawing the threat because Iran threatened to rev up its missile program and to abort the agreement to curtail its nuclear program, an agreement it has never signed and to which it says it does not feel itself bound. Kerry announced that he intends in a few days to declare Iran to be in compliance with the nuclear deal, large check to follow, despite the facts that (1) it had yet to ship highly enriched uranium out of the country, and that when it does verification of receipt of the stuff will be signed by one V. Putin, no notary public necessary, (2) Iran launched missiles that came perilously close to a U.S. aircraft carrier, and (3) the "no prisoner left behind" policy employed to justify the trade of five dangerous terrorists for Sgt. Bergdahl seems not to have been applied to a Washington Post journalist held by Iran. After all, none of these things can be allowed to interfere with "trying to warm long-strained" relations with Iran, the path Kerry chides the Chinese for following in the case of North Korea.
Obama's drive for a legacy and Kerry's for a Nobel Peace Prize apparently overwhelm any sense of embarrassment that might have survived the dynamic duo's long careers as public servants.
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