Even as I accept some of Dr. Roy's arguments, I would say that the possessors of nuclear weapons have to accept at least some of the four points that I made, in order to sell their demands for non-proliferation in terms of principles. As we know, India has been making some similar points to justify not signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, even though the world recognizes that India is not a rogue state.
Pakistan's possession of nuclear weapons is, of course, too close to our home. I have no doubt that if they had those weapons to threaten India in 1971, there would be no Bangladesh at that time, and possibly not even today.
As for religious fanatics running some countries, I think the short-sightedness of the Western powers has nurtured the fanaticism for too long. For example, countries like the United States and Britain supported the military dictatorial Pakistan in 1971 over the brutalized people of East Bengal and over the democratic India, because the Hindu-Muslim divide in the subcontinent was advantageous for them. I think if the big powers of the world cared more about principles than selfishness, they could find smart ways to discourage religious fanaticism. For another example, the way the Western powers have operated in Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein has made that country more Islamic fanatic.
I do not think the communists are as bad as the religious fanatics. I know many well-established Chinese professionals in the USA who would not have a chance to be where they are had there not been the support that the communist China had provided for their poor families.
Sukhamaya Bain
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From: Jiten Roy <jnrsr53@yahoo.com>
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, March 4, 2012 3:21 PM
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Nuclear de-proliferation and non-proliferation must be done
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, March 4, 2012 3:21 PM
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Nuclear de-proliferation and non-proliferation must be done
The world will never be free of nuclear arsenals. Therefore, wishing for that is like wishing to meet God in person. We have to be realistic in what we wish for. If we accept that fact then we can discuss this issue wisely. There are countries in the world, which should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons, and religious/ideological fanatics run these countries. These fanatics are mostly erratic and unpredictable, because they are guided by the divine/heavenly instructions from God or ideological authoritarian doctrines. I know some of them, North Korea, Pakistan, etc., have nuclear weapons, and the world is dealing with the consequences. We don not have the luxury to increase the list. These are not toys. This is the way I see this issue - we give guns to the cop and to the soldier, but not the thugs and drug dealers. You won't give a diamond necklace to a monkey. Will you? Some may argue that since thugs and drug dealers got guns illegally anyway, lets give guns to everybody. That is not an acceptable proposition yet. The bottom line is - people who do not value their own lives cannot value the lives of others. Jiten Roy
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