reply to
post by itguysrule
I have to disagree on one point. As you stated above, Israel is tiny in comparison to Iran. Even one nuclear weapon would cause such devastation to
Israel that it might not survive as country. I believe that is the definition of an "existential threat."
I don’t mean to quibble, so let me do it. What looks to be an existential threat to Israel is SELF IMPOSED. So whether it is or not is up to them,
whereas they portray that they are helpless in the face of the Iranian bomb. Which I do not accept.
A perfectly good and fair deal or treaty with Iran today could become worthless by any number of unforeseen future events. Iran with only one nuclear
weapon would have the power to destroy Israel in one blow whenever they decided to do so. I know I could not live with that risk - no way.
It sounds very much as if you are urging a multi-nation effort to rid the world of nuclear weapons, such as we once had in the NPT - Non proliferation
Treaty. South Africa backed out of its nuclear weapons program. The ABC of South America have declared SA to be a “nuclear weapons free zone.”
Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
In the late 1960s or early 1970s, Israel determined it to be in its interest to VIOLATE the NPT philosophy and to go ahead with a nuclear weapons
program. I have read that Israel got the necessary plutonium from France. I personally doubt that. France is not known for its generosity. I suspect
the US furnished the plutonium but shipped it through France so we could have it both ways.
The world does not want to compel India and the Muslims who lived in India we now call Pakistan, to resolve the Kashmir issue. I have read a book by a
Kashmiri who says the people living there do not want to be part of either country. So where is you commitment to SELF DETERMINATION? Instead, we sat
by idly while first India and then Pakistan developed nuclear weapons.
Then our own president traveled to New Delhi and applauded them for backing the NPT and lifted American restriction on imports and exports from India.
If we ever had any credibility on important issues, we surely hove NONE today on the idea of NPT and even of getting rid of all nuclear weapons
everywhere.
Now I cannot think of any legal or moral reason why any nation including North Korea and Iran, that wants the costly burden of nuclear weapons ought
not to have them. This is the world we more than any other Great Power have made.