Wishing Well

In the aftermath of the North Korean nuclear test, there was much discussion -- continuing today -- as to what it all meant, whose fault it was, blah, blah, blah. It was pretty clear whose fault it was and it was also clear that those same people probably imagined that Kim Jong-il's uppity defiance of Rice and the US diplomatic corps, such as it is, would be a boon to Bush and the Republicans in the run-up to the elections. I had claimed that the nuclear test was something the Bushies were probably dreaming about:

The "Rogue State" the Bushies have been harping about for so long has finally made itself manifest. Terrorism and rogue states are life blood to this White House and while rogue states were hard to come by, through a few years of posturing and threats, why, now we have one.

As they say, sometimes you do get what you wish for.

A few folks chimed in, doubting that the adminstration could be so callous. As for myself, I never doubt that. But I can understand the reticence to believe that the White House could willfully wish for the North Korean development.

So it was with a particular interest that I read this little blurb at ThinkProgress, which found a small statement buried within a recent WaPo story:

Before North Korea announced it had detonated a nuclear device, some senior officials even said they were quietly rooting for a test, believing that would finally clarify the debate within the administration.

Ergo, the previous statement stands, fully vindicated.