IRAN MUST BE STOPPED

By Dr. Kevin J. Alcena

“Deo adjuvante, non timendum.”

“With God as My Helper, I have nothing to fear”

The international uproar against Iran’s attempt to develop nuclear weapons is well placed and justified given the nature of the Iranian society and the nature of its leaders. Nuclear weapon is the weapon of choice in the modern global political and military playing field that creates the divide between super powers and the rest of the world government. Considering the destructive nature of nuclear weapons to life, property, and nations, it is increasingly dangerous to the human race for anyone without systematic restraints to be in possession of the weapon.

The nuclear race that started during the Cold War reached its climax after the five world powers agreed to multilateral and international understanding that no nation would be allowed to develop nuclear capability to prevent the destruction of the entire human race. These nations, though, failed to stop India and Pakistan from developing nuclear weapons, have become aggressive to prevent further development of nuclear weapons, particularly by nations with known prevalence of fundamentalist or extremism; ruled by despots and hardliners that pander to the whims of fundamental militants in their country. This is where Iran becomes a critical nation to be concerned with.

The recent election of the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as President of Iran has raised the stake in the control of nuclear proliferation. This is because President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly voiced his fundamentalist inclination in his various public speeches. He is credited to have said that he wished Israel is wiped out from the surface of the earth. President Mahmoud specifically said that Israel be “wiped off the map”. This is extremism to the core. A leader of any nation who refuses to acknowledge the right of existence of another nation on earth does not deserve to rule or govern a country, how much more possessing a nuclear weapon that has the capability of exterminating an entire country with five minutes, particularly given the close proximity between Iran and Israel. In addition, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is known to have prayed for the demise of Prime Minister Arial Sharon because of his religious fundamentalism stand against the Jews, the people of Israel and friends and allies of Israel, which include most members of the developed world.

The proliferation of nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran is a dangerous step that the international community must prevent from happening. China and Russia must join the United States, Germany, France and United Kingdom in persuading the United Nations’ Security Council to impose very stiff sanctions on Iran to prevent Iran from further committing its resources to the development of nuclear weapons. In view of the past history of Iran and its hardline position of global issues, it is certain that they will not abide by the UN Security Council’s decision and be cowed by the sanction either. This is evident by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s address on Wednesday, January 18^th, 2006 that “we are asking they step down from their ivory towers and act with a little logic".  Ahmadinejad said, "Who are you to deprive us from fulfilling our goals?” He further stated, referring to the United States and its European allies that they think they “…are the lord of the world and everybody should follow you. But that idea is a wrong idea."

This verbal intransigence demonstrates the insensitivity of the Iranian President to such issues of international magnitude and with great universal repercussion. The world cannot watch while another Adolph Hitler emerges from within us with the capability at his whims to destroy the world or to exterminate any country, for whatever reason. This is why it is vital that the United States and its allies in Europe put in place a military strategy for an eventual strike on Iran should it remain obstinate to continue the gas centrifuge uranium enrichment and processing of fuel rods: a key component in the process of nuclear weapon development.

The United States Secretary of States Condoleezza Rice has done an excellent job canvassing for global support to resolve the Iran nuclear impasse and the United Nations Security Council must support her effort to sanction Iran to cease further development of the nuclear program. This means that Russia and China must throw their weight fully behind Secretary Rice to ensure that Iran does not use this opportunity to acquire nuclear weapons.

The arms race during the Cold War has taught the world and the super powers vital lessons and the world would be remiss to allow any country in the world to start another arms race, particularly a country with a great degree of instability due to religious intolerance and extremism. This is troublesome, considering the level of instability also in the Middle East between the Palestinians and Israelis and the massive support of the Arab countries to Palestine against Israel.

A nuclear Iran will completely change the playing field in the Middle East and jumpstart another arms race with deadly potentials of complete destruction of the region and the world. Already, Israel has announced that it will not allow Iran to become a nuclearized country. All hands must be on deck to prevent the deterioration of this nuclear standoff to get to the point where Israel will take unilateral action to protect itself, which will further incite aggression in the region and the world.

January 19, 2006

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