THREAT OF NUCLEAR ARMAMENT

THREAT OF NUCLEAR ARMAMENT
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THREAT OF NUCLEAR ARMAMENT
By Jamil Zaidi

Threat of nuclear weaponry towards the close of World War-ll in the Japanese theater was a practical demonstration of nuclear fission; simultaneously staging a show down by the US for proving its military might. It could justifiably be called an accident of history inasmuch as US succeeded in employing the nuclear energy which had almost been harnessed in Nazi Germany in consequence of the successive experiments carried out by Einstein, a physicist of Jewish origin, from early 1930s onwards. Consequently two nuclear bombs were thrown on the urban population of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with disastrous results spelling doom to life and property. Apart from an immense fire, a cloud rose from the site of bombing with gushing poisonous hot wind reducing every structure to a rubble, destroying eyesight of those witnessing it, and creating a pitiable sight of human beings bleeding and moving haphazardly in different directions. The pucca roads with a layer of Asphalt melted and thousands of charred human bodies and animals presented a ghastly sight. People living in a radius of 100 Miles plus fell prey to Carcinoma and Leukemia died; whereas others were treated & passed through a phase of agonizing existence for the rest of their lives.

It was time for the World conscience to wake up, and hence use of nuclear armament was banned in future wars altogether, but this giant kept asking for human sacrifices either for the transfer of nuclear technology as in the case of Rosenbergs in early 1950s, or through accidents such as Chernobyl in USSR. Consequently a rat race started for the acquisition of nuclear technology both for peaceful purposes and for war. US, USSR, UK, France & others acquired it; and so did China.
Irony of the situation in the entire story lies in the fact that US started insisting (after acquiring this capability) to put a ban for others to acquire it even for peaceful purposes. India soon followed suit; simultaneously insisting for taking up all possible measures to discourage Pakistan from becoming an Atomic power. By this time Pakistan had realized that the use of nuclear arms was not only a heinous crime against Humanity; but it amounted to an act of lunacy because either of the two rivals using it in the sub-continent could not save their own population from the nuclear fallout. Amongst other factors, the main factor responsible for this risk was close proximity of these two countries & lack of depth for avoiding nuclear fallout on either side. In fact, acquisition of nuclear technology is vital for rival states, because it serves as a deterrent for both the conflicting parties.
Besides, a country acquiring this capability forfeits its right to ask for a nuclear ban on moral grounds; because the same amounts to almost blackmail by sheer display of force. Hence Pakistan was perfectly justified to acquire it for safeguarding its own territorial limits against Indian hegemony; unless India also accepted this ban & destroyed its nuclear arsenal to the entire satisfaction of the World opinion in general & to the entire satisfaction of Pakistan in particular. US demand for the prosecution of Dr A. Q. Khan was, therefore, not based on justice.
Coming to the present scenario, wherein Iraq has been trampled by US forces; and the latter has its own designs (almost similar to the ones that Allies had during & after World War-l) in Middle East. Alongside the presence of NATO forces & US military might in Afghanistan seen in the context of their strenuous efforts for the reinforcement of their political ties with Bharat, are evidently a cause for concern for Pakistan & Iran. President Ahmedinajad of Iran was speaking the language of the oppressed & trying to transmit the truth the whole truth, and nothing but truth, when he addressed the gathering at the University of Columbia. He was not allowed to speak and insulted both by the University administration as well as students. This foolhardiness (which is perhaps the softest word) not only provides sufficient justification for the Irani cause, but is also a wake-up call for Pakistan to review its existing foreign relations policy and to enter into new agreements for its own safety. These agreements are p.ossible with its neighbors having a good track-record & not having any territory dispute. The sooner we appreciate these ground realities, the better; so that our generations might live in an independent State in safe environments.