On Thursday President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev signed an arms control treaty hailed by the White House as a big step forward "to reset relations with Russia," as well as for the US president's broader nuclear agenda. The treaty, signed at a ceremony in a ballroom in Prague, reduces the number of strategic nuclear warheads each side can deploy to 1,550, along with cuts in launchers and new verification procedures.
"This day demonstrates the determination of the US and Russia -- the two nations that hold over 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons -- to pursue responsible global leadership," President Obama said.
But let's not kid ourselves and celebrate. There will be enough nuclear firepower left on each side to devastate the world many times over.
"Nuclear weapons are not simply an issue for the United States and Russia," Mr. Obama continued. "A nuclear weapon in the hands of a terrorist is a danger to people everywhere, from Moscow to New York, from the cities of Europe to South Asia."
In other words, with the more immediate concern being attempts by terrorist groups like al-Qaeda to acquire nuclear weapons, the remaining 10 percent of the world's nuclear arsenal becomes a significant concern. Significant in that it is in the hands of countries half of which are not signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), such as India, Pakistan North Korea, and Israel.
This upcoming Monday and Tuesday, President Obama will also meet with leaders of more than 40 countries with the expectation of issuing a joint statement on the challenges and importance of nuclear security. He hopes to bring everyone to agree on a common "work plan" for cracking down on the illicit trade of nuclear material. Of course we know that Iran, which will be absent from the summit, will top the agenda.
But it's not only Ahmadinejad who will be missed at the summit on nuclear security; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled his visit to the US.
According to Israeli media sources, PM Netanyahu made the decision after learning that Egypt and Turkey intended to raise the issue of Israel's presumed nuclear arsenal. "Presumed" that is, because Israel has never confirmed or denied that it possesses atomic weapons.
"The prime minister has decided to cancel his trip to Washington to attend the nuclear conference next week, after learning that some countries including Egypt and Turkey plan to say Israel must sign the NPT," Reuters news agency quoted a senior Israeli official as saying. Israel's Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Dan Meridor will take Netanyahu's place in the nuclear summit.
Mr. Netanyahu's canceled visit to Washington comes at a time when relations between Israel and the US have hit rock bottom.
One hundred and eighty-nine countries, including all Arab states, are party to the NPT. Only Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea are not.
In late March, during a closed-door session, the Arab League called for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and a review of the 1970 NPT in order to create a definitive plan for eliminating nuclear weapons. They also called on the UN to declare the Middle East as a nuclear-weapons-free region.
Interestingly enough, the similarities between Iran's and Israel's desire for nuclear dominance can be seen in Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad's claim that Iran is developing its nuclear program for "peaceful purposes." That assertion brings to mind David Ben-Gurion's own statement in December of 1960. When U-2 spy planes identified Dimona as an Israeli nuclear site, Ben-Gurion claimed that it was only a nuclear research center built for "peaceful purposes."
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Why only call the latter by his full name and title?
The Iranian one is inspected and sctrutinised by the IAEA (which confirms that there has been no material diverted to a military program). The Israeli one got to skip that particular problem (and even managed to skip sanctions).
BTW, the Iranians are hosting a conference on nuclear weapons. Its goal is the elimination of nuclear weapons, not just keeping them in the hands of the few. (And guess who's been lobbying countries to stay away from that conference? If you guessed the US, you'd be right)
The Arab League is correct in that nuclear weapons should not be allowed in the volatile region by any nation. It looks as if someone is planning to call out the hypocrisies of the major powers, in that while they fume against the Iranian nuclear program which has potential for what they say is "weaponization, they turn a blind eye to what is generally regarded as real Israeli nukes. What about India & Pakistan as well? The majors appear to be hypocritical in that they readily hound some nations, but don't appear to go after other nations that actually have nuclear weapons, but are not now under any kind of monitoring. When double standards abound, credibility is lost. Jamal, as you always pick up on the ironies, the American govt. & the other majors will believe the solemn words of some leaders in the region, & refute the very same words of others. It's interesting & open to speculation how the international press will cover the glaring hypocrisies of our leaders, esp. how they cover President Obama, Hillary Clinton responding to this moral dilemma of showing such partiality to some who do, while condemning those who may.
The uninformed masses who once bought the lie that Ahmadinejad is the first ever nitwit, in 2005, to publicly forewarn his nuclear-armed adversary that he intends to annihilate them in 2014[1], when he will be out of office, are now busy purchasing the Brooklyn bridge.
"The fact that he compared his desired option - the elimination of "the regime occupying Jerusalem" - with the fall of the Shah's regime in Iran makes it crystal clear that he is talking about regime change, not the end of Israel."
From http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2006/jun/14/post155
You should take look at http://www.bibijon.org/iranimage/#Israel
[1] Mossad head: Iran will have bomb by 2014
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/17/Mossad-head-Iran-will-have-bomb-by-2014/UPI-87651245237586/