Strangeness for the Politically Inclined

I have been confounded to the utmost recently with a strange twist in international politics. North Korea proclaimed not long ago that it had a fully functioning nuclear program, and could build a nuclear bomb within a year or so. The current administration has staunchly said that the US will have no part in an attack on North Korea. Yet, in Iraq, the current administration has claimed that it has conclusive evidence that the nation is supporting its own nuclear program, and Bush has declared that we reserve the right to strike preemptively because of it. It is widely known by everyone who pays some attention to current events that the Bush administration has not publicly presented this alleged information in any way. Furthermore, powerful countries such as France, Russia, and China have expressed much doubt in these seemingly baseless claims. My confusion lies in the discrepancy in our reactions to the two nations of “the axis of evil.” I certainly think that it is horrible that we are willing to conquer Iraq, but I can think of only one reason for the difference in reactions. It is verified fact that North Korea now has the capacity to produce nuclear arms, so the US may be avoiding invasion because of a potential national security risk. This is a highly feasible explanation, but it also means that our willingness to attack Iraq signifies that such a move would not pose a national security risk. I would take this to mean that Iraq does not have a nuclear program. However, this conclusion is in direct contradiction to the rhetoric spread by the Bush administration. Strange, isn't it?