2006-09-01

Washington Post: Iran Defies Deadline on Nuclear Program

The Post leads with coverage of Iran’s defiance of a UN-imposed deadline to stop its uranium enrichment program, as does, I’m sure, probably every other newspaper in the world, except, perhaps, the Tehran Times.

In the four-plus years since Iran’s nuclear program was revealed, a huge amount of hot air has been released from the mouths of presidents, prime ministers, and pundits on the gospel of non-proliferation, but it seems that none of them have actually bothered to read the non-proliferation treaty (NPT).

First, non-proliferation is just the first of three parts of the NPT; universal nuclear disarmament and the right to use nuclear technology peacefully are the other two. Second, a treaty signatory has the right to withdraw from the treaty, if warranted by “extraordinary events”.

So, Iran hasn’t actually broken the NPT, because uranium enrichment is a peaceful use allowed under the NPT -- yes, that’s a huge loophole, but that’s not Iran’s doing -- and I haven’t read or heard a single word about universal nuclear disarmament since Dennis Kucinich ran for president.

Also, if the invasions of two neighboring countries -- Iraq and Afghanistan -- don’t qualify as “extraordinary events”, what does? If Russia invaded Canada and Mexico, I doubt the US would care what the UN thinks. (Not that it does anyway, but you get the point.)

I don’t want to see Ahmadjinejad go atomic either, but I think the rest of the world would have far more respect for the US position if the US paid as much attention to its obligations under the NPT, namely “general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control”, as it does to Iran’s.

The NPT was supposed to be the first step towards universal nuclear disarmament, not the permanent preservation of the then-status quo with five haves and two hundred have-nots.