Message is clear, Nuclear weapons are best deterrence.

 CAN WE NOW SEE MORE NUCLEAR COUNTRIES?

CAN THEY ALL BE RESTRICTED BY MILITARY FORCE?

On January 29, 2002 George Bush 2 made a speech declaring the axis of evil of Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. On March 20, 2003 the U.S. invaded Iraq under the pretext that they sought nuclear weapons. North Korea and Iran then began their quest to become nuclear deterrent countries, with Iran suspending that program because of an edict by the Ayatollah Khomeini in 2003. North Korea became a nuclear power in 2006 and remains the only country not attacked by the U.S. 

While it is true North Korea has limited resources desirable by the United States, any country with resources may now be very well considering their only way of establishing a deterrence is by becoming a nuclear armed country. This would especially apply to Saudi Arabia and Turkey, one with resources and one already being listed by Israel as a possible threat and the keeper of a strategic choke point.

The message being heard by many countries is that their only assurance of real deterrence against some sort of attack is nuclear weapons. It is very likely that more countries are going to entertain the idea that it is in their best interest to go down that road. Large countries in South America have the capacity and skills to accomplish this very quickly, with open threats from its neighbor to the north and the example of Venezuela and Cuba they are probably considering this option.

Saudi Arabia already has a  defense agreement with nuclear armed Pakistan and the money to just purchase these weapons. Does anyone doubt that North Korea would sell weapons to those it found to be safe customers?

Japan swore off nuclear weapons after WW2, but that was a different generation, they may soon decide it is time to join the nuclear club, especially with the increased pressure to choose sides in the pacific region,  same with South Korea.

The technology is now 75 years old and the ability to manufacture these weapons is available to many nations. There is no longer any need for testing, just the ability to copy the plans and tests of some other nuclear country, which is most likely available. 

It may soon become impossible to play whack a mole by military force to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The world political scene now indicates that nuclear weapons are going to be used somewhere in the near future.