Paxety Pages

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- A top North Korean official said on Friday the North and Cuba will wage a joint struggle against the United States.

In a message to Cuban President Fidel Castro, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, said the two countries will continue to jointly fight U.S. aggression and intervention on the basis of their traditional friendship and cooperation.

Is it possible fidel will use the new oil money to buy a nuke from Kim? Remember North Korea has no oil.  Are we keeping a close watch?

Update - Something is definitely up - more on the currency exchange story from the Salt Lake Tribune

The move will severely limit any remaining autonomy inside the various state enterprises. It will also effectively turn   back an earlier government policy calling for state enterprises to move toward self-financing by pouring earned foreign income back into their operations.

Also, a state company that now wishes to buy any goods or services available only in foreign currency will need to obtain special approval   from a new Foreign Exchange Approval Committee.

Then there are the military exercises just concluded on the island. From Final Call:

HAVANA (caribbeannetnews/AFP)—Cuba’s armed forces participated in the biggest military exercises in almost 20 years, during a weeklong exercise meant to be a warning to Washington, that Cuba would vigorously defend itself against U.S. aggression. Senior military and government officials in Cuba warned that the Bush administration should take note of the island’s war footing.

“The determination of the U.S. administration to destroy the (Cuban) Revolution however they can, including militarily, determines the necessity of conducting these exercises,” General Leonardo Andollo, the deputy chief of Cuba’s Armed Revolutionary Forces (FAR), said.

His comments came days after President Fidel Castro’s brother, Raul, warned Washington should closely observe Cuba’s military prowess and civil defenses during the maneuvers. Raul Castro is the head of the Caribbean island’s armed forces.

Normally, one would laugh this off as more of fidel's posturing - but suppose he's getting a nuke? Or perhaps Cuba's recent concern with "U.S. aggression" is because we are really trying to do something there.  I'm not getting my hopes up.

Further update - then there's the news that Cuba and Iran will be holding joint economic talks in Havana as part of the 10th-Cuba-Iran Joint Economic Commission.

The Cuban minister also asserted that signing new trade and bank agreements between Tehran and Havana would pave the way for further joint economic cooperation between the two countries.

That's all we need - castro buddying up with the mullahs.