Actions And Consequences

New sanctions against Iran have passed the UN Security Council. Fisher rounds up reax. Yglesias makes a sensible point:

Something that I think is worth noting here is that sanctioning Iran isn’t just about Iran and Iran’s nuclear program. It’s about every other country on earth, and all those countries’ hypothetical nuclear programs. The precedent of North Korea makes clear that if you really want a nuclear weapon, the international community probably can’t stop you. But how many world leaders cast a glance at Kim Jong-Il and say “I wish I were that guy”? If Iran continues to refuse to verifiably disarm, we want to make sure that other leaders of mid-sized powers still feel that a price is being paid that’s high enough to induce them to make other choices.