Push for Nuclear-Free Middle East Resurfaces - How about a nuclear-free world?

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10418-2005Mar5.html

Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and several Arab countries have said they plan to push discussion of creating a nuclear-free Middle East at the May conference of nations that have signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

For Arab nations, it is a way of highlighting their complaint that Israel's possession of nuclear weapons has been a major factor behind any proliferation in the region, and that the United States employs a double standard in demanding no nuclear weapons programs from Iran and Arab states.

In a speech last month, former Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said his country had been subjected to "bullying" by the IAEA "despite the fact that Tehran opened all doors to the inspections by the U.N. nuclear watchdog." Allegations that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons were being made, he added, "when Israel has stockpiled banned nuclear weapons without any protest or opposition from the IAEA."

The Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud Faisal, brought up the same issue recently. "Iran is always mentioned but no one mentions Israel, which has {nuclear} weapons already," he said in an interview with Newsweek. "We wish the international community would enforce the movement to make the Middle East a nuclear-free zone."

[whistle]

1. Nuclear weapons free world to be more specific including private armies

[Solo_in_MD]

2. Cute idea, but not going to happen until Israel's nighbors get serious

about not advocating for its destruction.