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Experts: Iran's Attacks on US Assets Could Encourage N. Korea's Nuclear
Ambitions

Christy Lee

   WASHINGTON - Iran's attacks on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops as
   Tehran announced it will no longer comply with restrictions on uranium
   enrichment may encourage North Korea to perfect its nuclear and missile
   technologies, experts said.

   "With Iran also challenging the United States, North Korea may feel
   that terroristlike activities will be less likely to cause U.S.
   retaliation because the U.S. will be busy with Iran," said Bruce
   Bennett, a senior defense analyst at the Rand Corporation research
   center.

   Multiple rockets hit [1]Baghdad's Green Zone near the U.S. Embassy
   Wednesday. There were no known casualties, and it is unclear whether
   Iran or its proxies launched them.

   The rocket fire came a day after Iran attacked two Iraqi bases used by
   U.S. forces. Iran launched multiple missiles Tuesday in response to the
   U.S. killing of Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani Friday.
   There are no known American casualties from the attacks.

   President Donald Trump authorized killing Soleimani [2]to protect
   American interests from future Iranian attacks, according to the
   Pentagon.

References

   1. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/08/politics/rockets-land-in-green-zone/index.html
   2. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/07/politics/qasem-soleimani-reasons-justifications/index.html

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