Korean Job Discussion Forums

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

Just got out of a policy seminar where, no surprise, virtually everyone, led by the professor, agreed that "one could make the argument" that since the United States possessed nuclear weapons, then there was no reason why the Iranians should not possess them, too.

The case against Iran, according to this seminar, rested on American propaganda and hypocrisy on alleged Iranian interference in Iraqi affairs and lies about alleged Holocaust-denial conferences and misinterpreted statements on Tehran's statements about, shall we say, in a "less-racist" way, altering Israel's position on the Middle Eastern map so that it better suits Iranian sensibilities.

In any case, I raised this question there and I thought I would raise it again here:

Please tell me that those who sympathize with these sentiments are not inadvertently justifying a nuclear-armed Iran (and, implicitly, a nuclear-armed North Korea as well) just to spite American foreign policy.

Please tell me that, if this is you, you do realize that, for all the current world-system's faults, shortcomings, and injustices -- issues that we can still work out, or at least continue trying -- that a nuclear-armed Iran (and/or North Korea) dramatically increases the likelihood of our seeing a range of other nation-states hastily adopt crash nuclear-weapons programs and then an actual regional if not global nuclear-weapons exchange in the not-so-distant future -- and that this, then, is a step in the wrong direction for all of us.

In short, please tell me that, in your arguments for a more peaceful world, this does indeed concern you and that you are not willing and ready to see regimes such as Iran acquire nuclear weapons just so that America might be taken down a notch, come what may...

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

gang ah jee · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: city of paper

Sincinnatislink · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Location: Top secret.

I don't want any countries to have nuclear weapons. Categorically.

That said, I understand a country's desire to have nuclear weapons when other countries, who have nuclear weapons, loudly say the first country is evil.

Octavius Hite · Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:04 pm Post subject:

My friend and I were debating this just the other week. He took the postion Gopher is speaking about: How dare the US tell others how to behave when they don't behave and invented the goddamned things!

Now, the usual counter to this is that Iran is not a rational player and therefore cannot be trusted to behave rationally with the power that comes from these weapons.

I was going to use that but then I thought of a new and I think better argument that lets us "lefties" argue against Iran and all others that have these weapons.

Once a country gets these weapons, they atomatically become irrational players. Before WWII the notion of foriegn intervention, while being around, was nothing compared to today and especially nothing compared to the Cold War. The bomb allowed the US and Russia to actively oppress/dominate/conquer/control other countries (US: Guatamala, Haiti, Chile, South Vietnam, S. Korea, etc; Russia: Czech, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Central Asia, N.Korea etc). France getting the bomb allowed it to believe that it could reclaim it's imperial past (Indo-China, the South Pacific, Africa, etc). England used it to determine the outcome of the Falklands (Argentina was never going to win). China used to keep the US at bay while it annexed Tibet and the British had to give up Hong Kong. As well, they could interfer in the Korean war with impunity. Finally, Israel uses the weapon not only to garuntee their survival but to commit war crimes against civilians without fear of prosecution or reprimand.

Countries that get these weapons use them to terrorize others and thats why we should not let Iran have them and why all, yes ALL, countries should be forced to get rid of them.

gang ah jee · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: city of paper

Leslie Cheswyck · Joined: 31 May 2003 Location: University of Western Chile

China entered the Korean War in 1950.

China annexed Tibet in 1951.

China got the Bomb in 1964.

China took on the US and took over Tibet without the Bomb.

Octavius Hite · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:30 am Post subject:

Man you guys are such commies!

Just kidding, you're right and I am man enough to know when I've made a mistake. However I still holdup my theory as a better one than just the usual left-wing one of "america is bad so iran can be bad" argument!

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

Big_Bird · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:53 am Post subject:

I feel tired every time I hear of any country attaining nuclear capabilities. When North Korea tested them last year, I thought "Oh bloody hell...not another..." It just brings us that step closer to a possible catastrophe.

I don't even like nuclear power plants. The more nuclear power plants, the more chance of some stupid disaster. People seem to think Chenobyl can't happen again. I wish I had their confidence.

I think we are all really playing with fire.