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Intherealmof21stcentury,theUSPresidentBarrackObamahasspearheadedamovetoachieveaworldfreeofnuclear
weapons.Hehassetaveryambitiousandarduousgoal.Itisbecauseofthefactthatnuclearweaponsareconsideredasan
agentofpeace,stabilityandsecurityintheinternationalarena.Thoughitisanotherdebatethatsometimespeaceoutofthe
balanceofterrorhangsinbalance.However,therearesomeimpedimentswhichneedtoberectifiedinordertoachieveaworld
freeofnuclearweapons.

Beforeoutliningthemainpoints,itispertinenttoelaboratecertainpointsofObamasnuclearagenda.Firstly,hevowsto
reducethesignificanceofnukesinnationalsecuritystrategy.Secondly,heembarksupontogettheCTBT(ComprehensiveTest
BanTreaty)ratifiedbytheUSSenate.Thirdly,hepledgesthattheUSwillmaintainasafe,secureandeffectivearsenaltodeter
itsenemiesaslongassucharmscontinuetoexist.

Fourthly,theAmericanPresidentmakesacommitmenttosigntheSTART1Treaty(StrategicArmsReductionTreaty)with
Russiaandbringsothersintoitssphere.Fifthly,heseeksanewtreatythatverifiablyendsproductionoffissilematerial.Sixthly,
hevowstostrengthentheNPT(NonProliferationTreaty1970).Lastly,hevowstosupporttheIranianrighttocivilianuseof
nuclearenergyasperunderArticle(iv)oftheNPT.

IndoPak rivalry is best suited example in this case. In order to maintain a balance of power in the
region,PakistanwasforcedtoreciprocateIndiasnuclearexplosionsinMay 1998.Inanutshell,this
factoralsohindersprogressinthewayofachievinganuclearweaponfreeworld.

However,therearesomefactorswhichimpedethegoalofnuclearweaponsfreeworld.Someoftheseobstaclesaregiven
below:firstly,nuclearweaponsareconsideredasanagentofpeaceandsecurity.Itsponsorsnucleardeterrence.This
phenomenonhasavoidedwarbetweennuclearadversaries.Soduetothisfactor,statesarereluctanttocooperatewitheach
other.CharlesDeGaullehasrightlypointedout:

Nocountrywithoutanatombombcouldconsideritselfindependent.

ThenthemajorpowersliketheUSandRussiahaving95%oftheworldsnuclearweaponstockpilesaremoreconcernedwith
thethreatofhorizontalproliferationthanachievingthegoalofdisarmament.Theotherthreelegalnuclearpowerstates
France,theUKandChinaarealsofollowingtheformersuit.

Furthermore,theroleofdilapidatedanddichotomousNPTisalsoverydecisive.Article(vi)oftheNPTreiteratesthatallthe
nuclearweaponstatesendeavortogofornucleardisarmament.Thenarticle(ix)oftheNPTisdiscriminatoryinnaturebecause
5/25/2016 jworldtimes.com/Article/52010_Obamas_Nuclear_Agenda_a_Realistic_View
itrecognizedonlyfivestatesasthelegalnuclearweaponstateswhichwentnuclearbefore1970.

Moreover,inthisanarchicalworld,statesalwaysgoforrelativegoalsandnationalinterestswhichigniteconflictsandclashof
interests.Liberalsbelievethatarmsracecreatesfearandfearleadstoinsecuritywhichleadstoarmsracewhichisavicious
cycle.Thearmsraceoftencreatesconventionaldisparitiesandsecuritydilemmasfortheweakerstates.Soinorderto
overcomethesedisparities,statesgofornuclearweapons.IndoPakrivalryisbestsuitedexampleinthiscase.Inorderto
maintainabalanceofpowerintheregion,PakistanwasforcedtoreciprocateIndiasnuclearexplosionsinMay1998.Ina
nutshell,thisfactoralsohindersprogressinthewayofachievinganuclearweaponfreeworld.

Hindranceinthewayofnuclearfreeworldisthedoublestandardsofthewest.The
USandthewestneverdaretochideIsraelforitshiddennuclearprogramme.

Lastbutnottheleast,hindranceinthewayofnuclearfreeworldisthedoublestandardsofthewest.TheUSandthe
westneverdaretochideIsraelforitshiddennuclearprogramme.Ontheotherhand,theyarepushingIranwhichis
also a signatory to the NPT. Then the123 IndoUS Nuclear Deal 2008 is also an ignominious example of western
doublestandards.ItisignitingradicalismintheMuslimworldwhichisabadomenforthepeaceandsecurityofthe
world.MartinLutherKingsaid:

Injusticeanywhereisathreattojusticeeverywhere.

Thelongandshortofthematteristhatthedichotomybetweenthatispreachedandwhatispracticedisastumbling
blockinthewayofachievinganukesfreeworld.Wecanachieveaworldfreeofnuclearweaponsbyreducingthe
discrepancy between the words and the deeds. Being the only power to have used the nuclear weapons against an
adversaryJapan, the US has a moral obligation to start off with the disarmament process. There is a need for
incrementalandholisticapproachtogetoutofthisquagmire.

TheNPTisstillfarawayfromachievingitsdesiredobjective.Sothereisaneedtostrengthenthenonproliferation
regimebyenforcingtheNPTwithtrueletterandspirit.Furthermore,theissueofconventionaldisparitiesshouldalso
be discussed with great care. Moreover, the grievances of the smaller states should also be discussed. The double
standardsofthewestmustberedressed.TheUSshouldmakeaciviliannucleardealwithPakistanasithadsigned
withIndia.Intheend,themajornuclearpowerstatesshouldgofordisarmamentinsteadofthwartingthehorizontal
proliferation.TheeuphoriacreatedbyObamasnuclearpolicyneedstobeconsolidated.Toconclude,weshoulddo
awaywiththeselethalweaponsthatwouldbeagreathopetothehumanity.Churchillhasrightlysaid:

Ifyougoonwiththisnucleararmsrace,
allyouaregoingtodoistomaketherubble
bounce.

MohammadShoaibNissoana
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5/25/2016 jworldtimes.com/Article/52010_Obamas_Nuclear_Agenda_a_Realistic_View

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