US wants nuclear-free Middle East

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

DUBAI (AFP) - The United States favours denuclearisation of the Middle East in principle, provided that a global peace has been reached there and control is imposed on Iran's nuclear capacity, the US ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency told a debate in Dubai.

Israel, Washington's main ally in the region, is believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East with an estimated 200 nuclear warheads. It has, however, never formally acknowledged having an atomic arsenal.

US ambassador Gregory Schulte told the Gulf Studies Centre on Wednesday that "Israel never signed the (nuclear) Non-Proliferation Treaty, so never violated the NPT."

He added: "That said, the USA, Germany and other countries have called upon Israel to join the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071213/pl_afp/usiranisraelnuclear_071213115524

[ixion]

1. because it's only cool for the US to have a massive nuclear arsenal

:eyes: :sarcasm:

[Javaman]

4. yeah, because things that go boom are really cool!!

perhaps moron* gets hunted by the frogs he blew up has a child. I can only hope.

[BushOut06]

2. So Israel gets to keep its arsenal based on a technicality?

So, basically as long as Israel hasn't signed the NPT, it's okay for them to have their nuclear arsenal. :sarcasm:

[LynnTheDem]

3. And which country remains that gives a shit what the USSA wants?

Aside, of course, from that nuclear-loaded middle-east nation?

[boricua79]

5. calling upon and actually forcing it with sanctions to do it

are two different things.

The day the U.S. treats Israel with the same force and pressure that it treats other Muslim countries in regards to nuclear weapons is the day we can consider its foreign policy in the Middle East to be fair.

If Iran had not signed the NPT, it would be labeled as having ulterior motives. Israel does it...so it gets a free pass based on the fact that "they never signed".

Iran is a member of the NPT and has no weapons = pressure, hostility, and sanctions
Israel is NOT a member of the NPT, has 200 undeclared warheads = financial aid, support, and freedom to bully other countries around.

Fair?

[MilesColtrane]

6. Yeah, it would be great if no middle eastern country had nukes.

That would leave all those countries ripe for U.S. hegemony, and all their sweet, sweet, oil only a bombing run away.

Mutually Assured Destruction worked in keeping the peace for the U.S. and the Soviets.
Why won't it work for Israel and Iran?

[closeupready]

7. How do they think this is going to happen, exactly???

Isn't the lesson of the Iraq War that without massive firepower, your sovereignty is at risk? I guess if you want to be invaded and enslaved by foreign entities, then this is an idea whose time has come. :sarcasm: What a simplistic notion. It's like saying you're for motherhood. Well, who isn't?

[HuffleClaw]

8. ?what?

i'm guessing those remarks will very soon be 'clarified'

unless he meant 'israel can keep their nukes because we'll pretend they don't have any'

[TheLastMohican]

9. Apparently they are very bad with geography

They will pretend Israel is not in the Middle East.

I am also yet to see how they are going to yank away the nukes from Pakistan.

[Vinca]

10. Will someone remind Shrub we are the only country that's actually

used a nuclear weapon? Shouldn't we be giving ours up first?

[IronLionZion]

11. ha! good luck with that.

Any politician who opposes AIPAC will soon be an ex-politician.

[saigon68]

13. Then you get this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3100853

[olddad56]

12. How about a nuclear free US.

[TheWatcher]

14. I'd like a Government that isn't run by criminals and actually represents the people.

Trade ya.