Should some countries have the right to tell other countries whether they can or cannot have nuclear weapons?

Monday 05th October, 03:43 AM JST

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 25 Total Comments Show All

mareo2 at 07:15 PM JST - 5th October

Only people that dont have nuclear weapons, if not it just looks hipocrite.
Ah_so at 10:48 PM JST - 5th October

But who really has the right to allow a country the use of these bombs?

There are no "rights", only realpolitik in the big boys' playground.

Those who have these weapons will do their damnest to keep them out of the hands of those they feel are most likely to use them. When a push comes to a shove, they believe that "rights" are for philosophy students, not for application to the real world of international politics.
Hephatsheput at 11:30 PM JST - 5th October

The US has proven that it alone has the right to tell other nations what to do.
tokyotom at 03:16 AM JST - 6th October

i think most people want to say "no", meaning that each country has its own right to decide to make nukes or not however, since that answers scares the hell out of us, 52% say yes, they don't have the right
888naff at 03:52 AM JST - 6th October

maybe no one has the right to tell others what they can or cannot do ( but depends what you you mean "right").

But that is what diplomats are for building trust and then maybe the others may listen or even agree with your point of view or try to do things in mutual interest.

....Or you could go for bomb the sh*t out them approach that is popular with some regimes. But never get any "real" friends that way.
TheQuestion at 04:25 AM JST - 6th October

Interesting question, those in power are always looking for ways to cement their authority. I suppose a fine judge of whether or not a nation has the authority to impose its will on another in terms of nuclear arms is whether or not the nuke craving country has the capacity to engauge in M.A.D (mutually assured destruction) with whatever country(ies) that don't want it to have a nuclear arsenal.

Iran could not go toe-to-toe with the United States, India, or the combined nuclear arms of the EU therefore it's ability to get them and not expect significant backlash is diminished. Nobody initially wanted China to have nuclear weapons but it had the material capacity to make enough nuclear arms to pose a threat to those who opposed them, not to the extent of Russia or the U.S of course, but enough to allow them to produce and keep them.

In addition one has to factor in whether or not they will endorse a 'no-first-use' like China and India, if they will only use them only if attacked with nuclear weapons such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, and Israel, or if they are willing to use them against without precondition such as...well...russia. (These are the official positions, whether or not they would hold them up is a matter of speculation)

So I guess it's a matter of how much you are willing to risk to get your hands a couple of those lovely recepticals of atomic destruction. If you play you're cards right you may get a couple, if not, well...at least you won't be around long enough to regret your decision.
tclh at 05:55 AM JST - 6th October

It is not the "right" issue, it is pure political issue related to security/survival of nations.Of course you have the right like I do ,but if you threaten my existence then I will do everything to try to stop you. Sorry to spoil the fun by spelling the obvious.
2020hindsight at 10:09 AM JST - 6th October

I think everyone is forgetting something here. And that is the Non Proliferation Treaty. Countries who are vulnerable and do not have nuclear arms agree not to create them. Iran and North Korea are both members. Israel is not. If you are a member you promise not to make nuclear weapons. Iran weren't forced into the treaty, but seem to be breaking their promise.

Now this isn't like America saying that you can't have nukes. Nothing like it. Don't forget that.
kumasan1969 at 10:57 PM JST - 6th October

some countries think as if they have more rights to say things as if they are more advanced than others. Countries like America telling other countries not to have nukes while they themselves intend to keep them, is no more than a silly comedy.

I think the Obama's approach is respectable in that he intends to ditch the nukes all together, and things starts to make sense.
bilbobaggins at 11:50 PM JST - 7th October

Only America should be able to since they are the best country.

Survival of the fittest
sabiwabi at 08:24 AM JST - 8th October

Iran weren't forced into the treaty, but seem to be breaking their promise.

They are not breaking the treaty, they are respecting it. They even go beyond the requirements of the treaty.

Israel is not.

That's right, they did not join the NPT, so they should not tell other countries what they can and cannot have. The US and Europe should require Israel join and respect NPT rules as a condition to receiving any aid.
2020hindsight at 11:23 AM JST - 8th October

sabiwabi

Iran weren't forced into the treaty, but seem to be breaking their promise.

They are not breaking the treaty, they are respecting it. They even go beyond the requirements of the treaty.

Oh come on. They were caught out with a secret nuclear plant. That's a violation of the treaty.

Israel is not.

That's right, they did not join the NPT, so they should not tell other countries what they can and cannot have. The US and Europe should require Israel join and respect NPT rules as a condition to receiving any aid.

So you believe in countries telling other countries what to do (the US telling Israel)? I don't.
helloklitty at 04:30 PM JST - 8th October

America is the one that will decide. We have the experience with bombs and we can kill anyone anywhere anytime.
kyourin at 04:17 PM JST - 9th October

for the sake of peace keeping .. it is a must that one should act as the regulator of nuclear technology :) since US was the first to develop it in the first place .. then they gain right to dictate others
kavikahi at 03:54 PM JST - 10th October

First lets find a country responsible enough to justify one nuclear weapon. While your doing that don't forget to filter the biological agents from the neighbor.