Specifically? Are you proposing we invade either country? Just asking.

That´s the sort of brain-dead strawman argument muddying the waters in this country. Whatever it is, it is not “realism”.

We did not invade the Societ Union but we did a lot of things to undermine their viability.

First, we should stop propping up the regime (“carrots”) in exchange for lies and aggression. We should not be sending them money, oil and technology. We should fight the selling of nuclear and missile technology by all means necessary because it is a direct threat to us. Inspecting their ships without asking is the least we can do. Shoot down their test missiles. Go after their financial investments. We should remove our troops from the border so they will not be hostages to NoKo threats.

You bet they will become more pliant when we threaten the regime´s survival for a change instead of rewarding their aggression as we have done so far. That´s a better bet than hoping their supposed rationality will keep them from doing anything to us when it already doesn´t keep them from selling their technology to our less rational enemies (and you do not even know who will be in charge there in 2 or 5 years).