Friday, October 07, 2005

UAE Hub of Nuclear Proliferation Trade

British Intelligence released a document that lists over 350 universities, government agencies, and private corporations spread across eight countries that are trying to acquire nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons technologies. The hub of the "arms trade supermarket" appears to be the United Arab Emerites. (Herald Sun: Nuke 'supermarket' a global concern).

The report released by MI5 is entitled "Companies and organizations of Proliferation Concern" and cites Iran, Pakistan, India, Israel, Syria, and Egypt as engaging in the global arms trade, and lists the UAE, Malta, and Cyprus as being the trade arbiters. Of the countries named, Israel, India, and Pakistan are already members of the nuclear club and Iran is accused of attempting to develop nuclear capabilities.

The proliferation of nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons to states that openly support terrorism - states such as Iran and Syria - must be avoided at all costs. That the UAE, an alleged US ally, is an active partner in this weapons trade only underscores the precarious nature of our relationship with any of the nations in the Middle East. Allies in that part of the world are fickle at best, and in almost all cases, popularist views within Middle Eastern nations is more sympathetic with the terrorist organizations than they are with their governments.

Based on the MI5 report, Iran's weapons program is only the tip of the iceberg. Under no circumstances can we allow Iran and Syria to join the nuclear club. In fact, we cannot even allow them to develop the ability to build a dirty bomb since the materials and technology to do so will find its way into the hands of al Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah the moment it is discovered.

So much for nuclear non-proliferation under the watchful eye of the IAEA and our good friend and Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei. As the saying goes, if you want something done right, do it yourself. Let's not waste any more time hoping the IAEA gets something right. We have too much at stake to continue to rely on their incompetence.

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