Non-proliferation

An editorial in the New York Times is urging countries that are “enabling” Iran for political/economic reasons to read the most recent IAEA report. A couple comments:

1. What is there in this report that would lead the author of the editorial to think it rational to tighten the already harsh sanctions against Iran? Iran blocked two inspectors from the IAEA, justifying this action by saying these inspectors have reported inaccurate information in the past. Regardless of whether that’s true, Iran is allowed to do this, and most importantly, Iran’s nuclear facilities remain under inspection.

2.It’s ridiculous when one thinks about the support the US has given to dictators and the massive atrocities they have carried out over the years. For the US to urge other countries, like China, to ignore their “economic interests” and support US sanctions is beyond hypocritical, especially when the primary motivation of the US has nothing to do with non-proliferation and everything to do with the fact that Iran is acting independently of the US.

3. Similarly, how can anyone take the claim seriously that the US is against non-proliferation when it is actively protecting the not-so-secret nuclear stockpile of Israel and denouncing calls from the rest of the world for Israel to become a signatory of the NPT? For all the time the media spends on Iran, a signatory to the NPT, and its nuclear program, you’d think there would be at least a comment or two on the Israel, who refuses to sign it, being the only nation in the Middle East with nukes. Or on the continued US support for the Israeli nuclear weapons program (and Pakistan’s and India’s, for that matter). Unfortunately, that’s not how our corporate media works, and that clearly includes the New York Times.

For a very good overview on this topic, read Chomsky’s article entitled, “The Iranian Threat.”