Nuclear weapon free zone (NWFZ) in the Mid East/World?

[Solve et Coagula]

Nuclear weapon free zone (NWFZ) in the Mid East/World? What about that?

reposted of Mark Gaffney

Friends, we must work together to prevent a catastrophe. We must stop the next Middle East war before it starts.

The US government must turn over to the United Nations the primary responsibility for resolving the deepening crisis in Iraq, and, immediately thereafter, withdraw US forces from the country.

We must also prevail upon the Israelis to sign the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and open all of their nuclear sites to IAEA inspectors.

Only then can serious talks begin with Iran and other states to establish a nuclear weapon free zone (NWFZ) in the Mid East –– so essential to the region’s long-term peace and security.

[juliod]

Nuclear weapon free zone (NWFZ) in the Mid East/World? What about that?

Good idea, but the chance of it happening is zero.

The proliferation cat is out of the bag. Due to the belligerance of the current US administration, we have lost all credibility in our attempts to limit development of nuclear weapons. We cannot stop countries from building these bombs. It's old technology these days. We can only persuade them not to in the interests of mutual security. Dubya and gang have repudiated this logic and ensured the spread of nuclear weapons.

Historian Martin van Creveld has written (about the Iranian efforts):

Now that the US has proved it is prepared to finght anybody for no reason at all, they should be forgiven if they redouble their efforts.

Even if the Islamic republic is overthrown, as some hope, the new government in Tehran will surely follow the same nationalist line as its predecessor did. A nuclear Iran will likely be followed by a nuclear Turkey. Next will come a nuclear Greece, a nuclear Saudi Arabia (assuming the country can survive as a single political unit), and a nuclear Egypt. Welcome to the Brave New World, Mr. Bush.

I think we are irretreviably on this course.

OTOH, nuclear weapons have brought only peace since 1945. No nuclear power has since then fought a large conventional war. For example, India and Pakistan fought 4 large wars between 1947 and the demonstration of the Indian "Peaceful Nuclear Device" in the 60's. Since then they have fought none.

But see:

http://www.endofworld.net/

DanZ

[The Persnickety Platypus]

How about a nuclear free WORLD?


All this talk about Iran and North Korea. The United States has enough nuclear warheads to vaporize the earth 100 times over (and just when you thought your tax dollars were being wasted...). Isn't anyone bothered by that?

"Oh but Iran and North Korea are not responsible enough to have WMDs". And a country that pre-emptively invades another just to find out that (opps) it never presented a threat in the first place is responsible? I don't suppose I need to illustrate to anyone the sheer arrogance of the "it's right for us to have them, but not you" attitude?

Maybe I am just naive, but what sort of threat is so great that it garner's the retaliation of sending the entire human species into extinction? I suppose when China surpasses us in the global market we will want to leave ourselves the option of suicide.

What is North Korea's rationale for building a weapons program? It fears aggression from the United States. Well, here's an idea. How about we destroy our weapons, and remove the threat? I don't suppose any of the rocket scientists leading our country have thought of that?

Hello?

You meet a large animal on the road. You are carrying a loaded rifle. The animal feels threatened, and prepares to defend itself.

Recognizing a potentially fatal conflict in the making, would you:

A) Drop the rifle and slowly back away, making yourself unthreatening

B) Hold the animal (which is at charging distance and too big to be killed with one shot) at gunpoint and tell it to submit to your will

Hello? Is it really this simple, or am I just missing something?

Would there have been any threat of russian attack during the cold war era had we dismantled our weapons and pledged peace?

The attainment of nuclear technology is a chain reaction. If your enemy gets nukes, the only way to defend yourself is to up your capabilities to the same par. When you get nukes, YOUR enemy is going to invest in them. Why does Pakistan have WMD's? Duh, because India has them.

Peace through strength is a failed philosophy. If the current state of the affairs is not enough evidence for you, please refer to every other empire in the history of humanity.

America must take the initiative. Our weapons must be the first to go.

[McCulloch]

How about a nuclear free WORLD? ...

Good idea.
Who was it who said, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword." ?

[skeeterses]

It really is too bad that the world has to be so concerned about the Middle East. If a catostraphic war happens in the Middle East, the entire Globe would fall into a global recession because of high oil prices, along with bringing the world a step closer to Armageddon. What makes me mad is that oil companies like Exxon have tried to prevent the Government and the Business community from investing in developing alternative energy resources. If the United States had not intervened in the Gulf War, the country could have invested in solar panels and windmills on a large scale.

If Iran or Israel use nuclear weapons first, the entire world could end up fighting a battle that was preventable.