rogue nuclear program refuses Nuclear NonproliferationTreaty

[billy.pilgrim]

so here is a secret/not so secret nuclear arsenal that no one wants to talk about. who knows, I imagine it scares the hell out of everyone else in the region. who knows, maybe it even causes other regional to develop the same as a deterrent.



http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/12/04-0


The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Monday to approve a resolution calling on Israel to open up its nuclear weapons program to international inspectors and to end its refusal to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, or NPT.



Also included in the UN measure was a call to reschedule a recently cancelled conference that would push for a 'nuclear-free Middle East,' something that all countries across the region, including Iran, have supported. A meeting on the issue was planned for this month in Helsinki, FInland, but was cancelled, or at least postponed, by the U.S. at the end of November.


Though the Israeli nuclear weapons arsenal is widely known to exist, neither the nation's government or its key ally, the U.S., will publicly acknowledge the program.


This refusal has long helped Israel avoid acknowledging the hypocrisy of its repeated threats against Iran for its nascent nuclear technology program.

[billy.pilgrim]

The US has not abided by the NPT and is also threatening Iran.

at least we signed it - 1st step

some nations refuse to consider that threatening their neighbors with annihilation cause for bad relations

[billy.pilgrim]

The US has not abided by the NPT and is also threatening Iran.

at least we signed it...

So has Iran.

North Korea withdrew and three states have never signed on to the treaty: India, Israel, and Pakistan.

and the last 4 are the most dangerous. iran is a wannabe

[rstrong]

so here is a secret/not so secret nuclear arsenal that no one wants to talk about. who knows, I imagine it scares the hell out of everyone else in the region. who knows, maybe it even causes other regional to develop the same as a deterrent.

The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Monday to approve a resolution calling on Israel [...] to end its refusal to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, or NPT.

Israel doesn't acknowledge having nuclear weapons because if it did so, it would greatly increase the pressure on Arab governments to develop their own.

In fact according to a statement by the Arab League, Arab states will withdraw from the NPT if Israel acknowledges having nuclear weapons but refuses to open its facilities to international inspection and destroy its arsenal.

Since Israel isn't going to destroy its arsenal any more than the US or Russia or China will, this seems like little more than trolling for an excuse for Iran and others to withdraw from the NPT and continue developing nukes.

Also included in the UN measure was a call to reschedule a recently cancelled conference that would push for a 'nuclear-free Middle East,

Iran isn't meeting its NPT obligations and is being rather obvious about developing nukes. Pakistan has nukes. Turkey is part of NATO's nuclear sharing program and has 90 B61b nuclear bombs, 40 of which are allocated for use by the Turkish Air Force. The US and others regularly station nuclear-armed ships in area. Israel giving up its nukes won't make the region even remotely 'nuclear free'.

And no doubt Israel would ask the next obvious question: What about other regions? Why not a nuclear free North America? Why not a nuclear-free Europe? Why not a nuclear-free Asia? The countries in those regions don't have a peaceful record either. Perhaps if a permanent UN Security Council member were to set an example....

[billy.pilgrim]

seems like all the rules change when israel steps into the room

[rstrong]

seems like all the rules change when israel steps into the room

So if Israel confirms that it has nukes and signs the NPT - and the Arab League states withdraw from the NPT as promised - you'll be happy?

[rstrong]

seems like all the rules change when israel steps into the room

So if Israel confirms that it has nukes and signs the NPT - and the Arab League states withdraw from the NPT as promised - you'll be happy?

You forgot the "but refuses to open its facilities to international inspection and destroy its arsenal" part.

Iran is either building a nuclear weapon or it isn't and no other Arab League state appears to want or be able to afford nuclear weapons. What difference would it make?

Joining the NPT means opening its facilities to international inspection, just as much as the US, China and Russia allow international inspectors into their secret facilities. They would no longer have the "rogue nuclear program" claimed here.

Joining the NPT does NOT mean destroying its arsenal. No-one expects that Israel would do so any more than the US or Russia or China would. But it would however mean Arab League states pulling out of the NPT. Is this really a better situation?

I would not be at all surprised to see a Arab state buy nukes from North Korea, just like they buy missiles from them. Or they could buy them from non-NPT member Pakistan. For that matter, once oil becomes more scarce and the resulting crisis makes the Chinese government more susceptible to overthrow, it wouldn't surprise me to see China "share" nukes with an oil state, much like America shares nukes with Turkey.