Iran’s timidity unnecessarily dishonors its people [Archives:2007/1039/Letters to the Editor]
Hem Raj Jain
[email protected]
Before analyzing the U.N. Security Council's stance and Iran's response to it in relation to various U.N. sanctions proposed against Iran in the backdrop of its nuclear pursuits, it is necessary to bear in mind that it is the chosen profession of any nation's armed forces (military, navy and air forces) to kill – under mandate – the armed forces of an enemy state and even be killed by them.
However, killing civilians (including women, children, the elderly and the sick) in a war not only isn't bravery, it also violates the basic tenets of international laws regarding human rights. Mankind's use of nuclear power – including by Iran – only for civil purposes is welcome in view of the fact that it not only spares mankind, especially developing countries, from immense and unnecessary expenditure on inhumane nuclear weapons or WMDs [Weapons of Mass Destruction], it also provides an alternative energy source to rapidly dwindling traditional energy sources.
The U.N. is derelict and shy about declaring that “it will use its clout and the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] to rid humanity lock, stock and barrel of cowardly and inhumane nuclear WMDs in a time-bound manner and program” for the simple reason that not only permanent U.N. members, but other countries like India and Pakistan, have embarked with impunity on developing nuclear WMDs and fully condoned by both the discriminatory U.N. Security Council and the IAEA.
In a March 24 statement before the U.N. Security Council, Iran manifested its timidity by merely stating that, “Iran never had any role in crimes against humanity, such as the World War II crime of genocide committed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki through a nuclear WMD.”
Iran was very much within its right to bravely and openly declare to the Security Council that it is using nuclear energy only for peaceful/civil purposes and not for weapons. However, if the council and the IAEA allow permanent U.N. members and countries like India and Pakistan to keep and make nuclear weapons, then Iran certainly is entitled to at least the same.
A beleaguered and unduly harassed nation, Iran also is expected to take the lead in global de-nuclearization. Thus, Iran ought to mobilize all nations that don't have nuclear weapons to demand a special session of the U.N. General Assembly wherein the U.N. should be constrained to make non-possession of nuclear weapons an essential condition for U.N. membership.
In this special session, all non-nuclear weapon countries ought to be prepared to quit the U.N. and form another world body in the interest of global de-nuclearization if the U.N. insists on not being serious or fair about ridding humanity of nuclear weapons in a time-bound manner and program.
In this endeavor, Iran also may speak to those in such nations, including countries like Japan (the only victim of nuclear WMDs so far), India and Pakistan (developing countries forced to invest heavily in nuclear weapons programs rather than alleviating abject poverty within their own borders), etc., directly via print and electronic media, over the heads of their governments, which appear disinclined to support such a de-nuclearization program.
It's certainly an hour of reckoning for Iran – Will it continue pursuing its present timid policies or embark on the brave and noble path befitting an ancient civilization?
It's also expected from Iran (which boasts to be an Islamic country) that although the chances are remote, good sense and wisdom ultimately will prevail on nuclear weapon countries. If it comes to this, Iran won't mind even offering 'qurbani' (martyrdom) on the path of righteousness.
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[archive-e:1039-v:14-y:2007-d:2007-04-05-p:letters]
