on it and use it as a way of buying time. the question is now whether his successor kim jong un kim the younger is trying the same tactic. gordon chang likes to quote marx saying history repeats itself. more towards a quote from mao the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. this is just a single step they say but that's better than standing still. >> shepard: certainly is. jonathan hunt, thanks a lot. leaders at the pentagon met with israel's defense minister to discuss topics including tension with iran. there has been a great deal of speculation as you no doubt know that israel is preparing to launch a preemptive strike and it is only speculation. israeli leaders say they haven't decided one way or another what they're going to do. washington's latest set of financial penalties against iran took effect just today. they stem from legislation the president signed in december and they are meant to punish iran for its nuclear program. and officials in iran are also now talking about why they wouldn't let united nations