Bush's idea of Nuclear Non-proliferation.

[Brotherjohn]

So Bush has this "Proliferation Security Initiative". This is supposedly what he's going to focus on in his U.N. speech to push nuclear non-proliferation. (http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/22/international/22PREX.html?hp) The thrust of this initiative, it seems, is to use existing laws to get nations to stop the illegal trafficking of nuclear materials.

The New York Times points out that "several nations just completed the first of 10 scheduled exercises simulating the interdiction of nuclear shipments, in waters near Australia." Well, tie me down and inject me with enriched uranium! There's a way to stop nuclear proliferation!! SIMULATE catching nuclear materials on the black market!!

Meanwhile, India and Pakistan test very real (non-simulated) nuclear weapons, and toss threats over their border. North Korea builds or is fast on its way to building very real (non-simulated) nuclear weapons, with ICBMs to deliver them (possibly to America). And Iran is not far behind. Thanks to the placement of the latter two nations on the "Axis of Evil" list, they're racing as fast as they can to develop nukes. After all, we all know what happens to nations on that list... that is, the ones that don't already have nukes.

And on this side of the world, we continue to be the biggest financial and military supporter of the Mid-East's only nuclear power (Israel), and we proudly announce that we are going ahead with the development of a new generation of nukes, and that we reserve the right to a nuclear first-strike (even a pre-emptive one).

Maybe the Bush administration's non-proliferation agenda is their ace-in-the-hole to keeping the White House in 2004. After all, it would be awfully hard to hold national elections if nuclear war breaks out.

[bigtree]

1. It's hard to oppose something

when you're knee deep in it.

:nuke:

[bigtree]

2. kick

:kick: