I feel bad for President Bush. Although most may not believe me, I truly like the guy. He seems friendly and sincere, but he just can’t get a break.

After botching the military situation in Afghanistan and watching the sputtering economy stall again, it seemed like attacking Iraq was the perfect thing to do. Aside from distracting people from their own problems, what American wouldn’t enjoy seeing Saddam Hussein finally taken out of power? However, U.N. inspectors have yet to find a smoking gun, and the United States isn’t giving him the overwhelming support he had hoped for.

These were both surprises for Bush, but he’s used to these situations. As he prepared for war, another surprise crept up on Bush. North Korea reactivated its nuclear program and kicked inspectors out of the country.

Simply put, North Korea caught us off guard. Last year, Bush named North Korea part of the infamous “axis of evil,” but he hasn’t done a single thing since then. The administration must learn to follow up with actions if it wants the rest of the world to take its aggressive foreign policy seriously.

Unlike Iraq, the rest of the world genuinely cares what happens around North Korea. Jong is more powerful and defiant than Hussein. Bush once said Hussein was defying the world by refusing to admit weapons inspectors into the country. True, but North Korea recently shipped SCUD missiles to Yemen, which I consider far more serious than anything Iraq has done. This only proves the North Koreans are willing to sell their weapons and technology to anyone willing to pay for them.

Aside from the personal vendetta, Bush chose Iraq because we can bully them. Hussein falsely believes he has a strong army underneath him, but they won’t be able to produce a huge fight. Sure, we’ll have resistance if there is urban warfare, but this won’t even be close to the fight North Korea will put up. Aside from having 200 medium-range missiles, we can’t forget about its buddy up North. There is no way China will stand by and watch if we attack North Korea.

Another dangerous thing is that Jong essentially holds South Korea and Japan hostage. If we strike, he can easily launch a few missiles into major cities of those countries. Many may remember the Gulf War, when Iraq did this to Israel; but Israel isn’t nearly as important as Japan and South Korea are to us.

The fact that Jong is only a few steps away from becoming a full-fledged nuclear power makes South Korea and Japan very nervous. Japan may even reconsider its stance on nuclear weapons, and if it proceeds with its own program, the region may become even more unstable.

Hussein is a diminishing power. He doesn’t have major support from any country. On the other hand, Jong, who is equally desperate and delusional, can control the fate of the Eastern hemisphere. A poorly thought-out decision from either side can plunge several countries into a massive war.

In a country where we tend to forget things in a flash, Bush must constantly prove himself. He cannot continue to ride the momentum from the Sept. 11 attacks. While most Americans are focused on the economy, Bush’s actions in the coming weeks will define his presidency.

Bush speaks strong words. We’ll see if he backs his talk with strong action. His doctrine stated America’s right to attack any country or group that was developing weapons of mass destruction for possible use against the United States.

This was intended to be a stern warning to hostile nations and terrorists around the world. Iraq is a joke, and everyone knows it. Bush can give a frightening preview to every terrorist in the world if he goes after North Korea. It’ll prove to the world we’re serious and willing to take on gigantic problems.

Vijay Ramanavarapu is a sophomore in business. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].