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www.adamhodges.com

Saturday, October 16, 2004

Towards a Nuclear Free Middle East

The recently released report by the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) concluded that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and that Saddam Hussein's capability to create WMD was effectively destroyed in 1991. Then there is the issue of his intent to regain such a capability, a point the Bush administration has seized upon in a desperate attempt to salvage its justification for war.

Coverage by the BBC, in quoting the ISG report, states that "Saddam Hussein was keen to preserve at least the appearance of a threat primarily as a deterrent to 'Iraq's abiding enemy', Iran -- 'especially as it became obvious that Iran was producing the very capabilities he was denied.'"

Wouldn't any leader -- especially one with a "desire to be seen as an historic military leader" and a strong belief that his attacks on Iran with ballistic missiles and chemical weapons during the 1980-1988 Iran Iraq war "had broken [Tehran's] political will" -- seek to deter a rival neighbor?

We know from the ISG report, "Weapons inspections had achieved their aim...Iraq had no WMD." Yet to disarm one nation while its neighbors build their weapons programs is more illogical than any narcissistic ambitions Saddam Hussein may have had.

What the international community needs to work for is a nuclear free Middle East that includes all nations in the region, and not just those on the US enemy list. In other words, Israel must give up its own nuclear programs if we are to expect the rest of the region to comply with UN monitored inspections and disarmament.

Syria, at the end of its tenure on the Security Council last year, put forth a resolution for a nuclear free Middle East. It is a call that needs to be taken seriously by Israel and the United States. In light of Libya's recent compliance, and broad backing by other Middle Eastern countries, including strong support by Egypt, the United States should urge its ally, Israel, to sign on to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and promote the notion of a truly nuclear free Middle East.

- Adam