Last night on news there was talk that NK might be readying itself for a test, similarly Iran is planning to do the same. While NK testing was later discredited by one of the newspapers (today) as a gimmick to warrant US attention. I started thinking about this; if Bush wouldn’t have used Axis of Evil term and bunched NK, Iran, etc together, maybe the race to own Nukees wouldnt be happeneing or if it were it would be at a slower pace than now, also this is a classic case of telling someone not to do a certain thing to the point that, that someone will finally say fk all I am gonna do it. AS they say in punjabi “hoon put lo jo putna eh”, in english a word called “defiance” comes to mind.
Now onto the trade embargoes, lets say if NK and Iran were to conduct nukee tests, then US,UN will impose trade embargoes on the two soveriegn nations (there is a reason for this term) thus killing and putting the innocent citizenas of these countries through hard times. Now that is not civilized to me, nor it is fair for any nuclear powered nation to say whats good for me is not good for you.
I ma sure there is got to be a way to resolve this issue, without threatening uncle Kim or Imam Ji or without imposing embargoes and killing innocent people.
Embargoes are not useful, they have been tried in the past and they have not worked. Look at Uncle Castro or Uncle Saddam. The fat cats still got fat but the people (that we so care about) get hurt.
What other alternatives are there fro the civilized world? every one disarm at once? Dont do anything? What?
Re: Nukes
Various embargoes were placed on India & Pakistan after they tested nukes, and they survived just fine and dandy.
Besides which, China will probably veto any attempt to embargo NK, and Russia will probably veto an attempt to embargo Iran, given that Russia is making tons of cash by selling Iran the technology and expertise Iran is using for its nuclear programme.
What you'll get is a continuation of the current US trade embargo on those countries, together with some possible punitive measures by the EU.
Re: Nukes
MS At the end of the day everyone survives, Indo-pak embargoes were a piece of cake (basically it was BS, compared to Iraq/Cuba embargo).
I hear you on the Russia/China playing favorites, and am aware that they will intervene, however what about the arms race that the region will embark on? And let play the what if scenarios, what if Russia says 'Ok Iran we will give you the fuel for reactors so you dont have to create' or what if China seals it's border and listens to US. Then what my dear whatson?
Re: Nukes
let US and Israel disarm first, then others will follow.
Re: Nukes
If it’s like the cuba embargo, then it won’t matter. The Cuba embargo is by the USA only - every other nation trades and does business with Cuba - only the USA is paranoid enough to think that an insignificant lump of dirt in the Caribbean is still any kind of threat to any other country.
The odds of an Iraq-like embargo happening are slim too. South Korea has always been against further isolation of NK, for fear that NK will lash out. They will continue their policy of economic engagement and will be the first to suffer from an embargo.
And the EU still has strong relations with Iran. While they will vote for some for of embargo, it will not be a severe one at all. It will be more of a slap on the wrist like what Pakistan and India got.
The EU is opposed to the Iranian nuclear programm on the principle of limiting nuclear proliferation, not because Iranian nukes would threaten any EU interest. The USA has a different set of motivations which would make the USA seek harsher sanctions than what the EU would agree to.
Re: Nukes
I agree with US disarmin but not Israel.
Re: Nukes
You are talking about what-ifs that are so unlikely that government would take actions assuming they would not happen.
Russia has invested so much into its relationship with the Iranian nuclear programme that it will not back out now.
And China abandoning NK to fall, leaving a strong US ally directly on China’s land border while China is still talking tough about attacking Taiwan, another US ally, is not going to happen either.
Re: Nukes
So you mean to tell me that this is another media hype. Nothing to worry about.
Re: Nukes
Then don’t expect iran to disarm either (if they have any nukes). You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Re: Nukes
^^ Why do Iranian shias fear Israel so much? I thought it was the Sunnis and wahabis that were scared of Israelis (and rightfully so).
Re: Nukes
It's about as much hype as Iraq's WMD were.
The media needs to make money or go broke; to make money, it must draw attention; to draw attention, it must make people feel scared; to make people feel scared, it must make them think the world is dangerous.
Even a nuclear test by NK or Iran wouldn't really change things, because more likely than not the intelligence agency of every power on earth will have a near 100% certaincy by the time of whether or not NK or Iran does have nuclear warheads.
it's like how everyone knew Pakistan had nuked even before the 1998 tests. The testing did not actually change the playing field at all. Sure, some embargoes were placed, but the overall security situation was unchanged. Nuclear war was as likely as it was before.
Re: Nukes
Because Israel has previously attacked and occupied shia populated areas, whereas israel has never attacked wahabi populated areas at all?
Re: Nukes
so palestinians are shias?
Re: Nukes
No, Hezbollah is a Shia organization. Hamas is a Pali organization. Palis are either Sunni or Christian (Catholic, I believe). The Shias in South Lebanon actually greeted the invading Israeli army as liberators because the Pali Sunnis had run a campaign of terror in their region. It was when the Israelis decided to stay in South Lebanon, then the Hezbollah, Amal and other organizations started to attack the Israeli army.
Re: Nukes
I was referring to Israel’s invasion of lebanon. The first areas of lebanon that they attacked were Shia populated, and they proceeded to then occupy that area for many many years.
By contrast, Israel has never attacked nor occupied areas populated by wahabies.
Re: Nukes
OK so the jerusalem and jordaninan terrritory is now safely in the hands of rightful sunnis/wahabis?
Re: Nukes
Those areas aren’t really wahabi populated. The only population centres predominantly wahabi populated are in the Nejd region of Saudi.
Wahabis are a subgroup of Sunnis, but the inhabitants of Palestine are predominantly not of that subgroup.
Re: Nukes
OK so getting back to the issue, Iran thinks that Israel is the perceived enemy, becasue of lebananon? Why would Iran give a fk about them and not do jack about shiites in SA. Iraq, but thats a different story, I know the iran iraq war and other clandestine activities by iranians.
Now Israel is surrounded by violent muslims hell bent on destroying Isarael so I understand their concern (more of a deterrent), but I still dont understand why Iran thinks that way. or what benefit does NK get out of having a nuke.
Re: Nukes
Iran thinks by supporting the Pali cause, it will foster Shia-Sunni unity, it will show brotherhood. Which is ofcourse utter BS, because Sunnis hate everyone who are not like them. So Iran should ally itself with Israel against the Sunnis.