Nuclear Peace Emerging in the Middle East

VOICES Nuclear Peace Emerging in the Middle East

BY WILLIAM LAMBERS

It’s in every nation’s interest to be free »President Obama This year brings great hope for a of the expensive and dangerous burden comprehensive agreement with Iran. of nuclear weapons. When we hear is committed to But why stop there? There are more estimates from Global Zero of about $1 ratifying the CTBT, steps that need to be taken to stop trillion being spent in the next decade nuclear proliferation. on nuclear weapons, we should all be in finishing a goal shock. For that is certainly not the road shared by almost SHUTTING THE DOOR ON to peace and progress. every president NUCLEAR TESTS FOREVER We have an alternative. We can since Dwight Jordan, for example, is hosting a reduce the burden of nuclear weapons large-scale simulated inspection with a step-by-step approach, one Eisenhower.« exercise for the Comprehensive country, one region and one treaty Nuclear–Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in at a time. This peace process includes "Unemployment is on the rise, late 2014. This Treaty bans all nuclear agreement with Iran over its nuclear inflation is at unprecedented levels weapons test explosions. programme and all nations ending and most people have to combine nuclear testing forever. several jobs because the minimum The 1963 Limited Nuclear Test wage is insufficient to counterbalance Ban Treaty already bans tests in the Iran clearly cannot afford to be inflation. Iran's population is atmosphere, underwater and in outer diverting precious resources to the experiencing an increasing income gap space. The CTBT would shut the pursuit of nuclear weapons. All eyes between rich and poor." door on nuclear tests by prohibiting right now are on negotiations to prevent underground testing too. Iran from developing nuclear weapons. As President Obama said in his statement on 23 November 2013 on the Not all nations though are on Iran has suffered from sanctions first step agreement on Iran's nuclear board. Eight countries still need to ratify for failing to live up to obligations under programme: "Iran must know that the CTBT for the pact to take effect the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. A security and prosperity will never come globally: China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, report from the International Federation through the pursuit of nuclear weapons North Korea, Pakistan and the United of Human Rights published in June – it must be reached through fully States. The only nation to conduct 2013 stated the consequences for the verifiable agreements that make Iran's nuclear tests recently has been North Iranian people: pursuit of nuclear weapons impossible." Korea, which has done so at the expense

CTBTO SPECTRUM 22 | AUGUST 2014 of its starving citizens. North Korea is an example that no one wants to follow.

By ratifying the CTBT the United States would demonstrate leadership in the non-proliferation field.

The Treaty is vital for creating the conditions for deeper nuclear arms reductions. In fact, the 1996 Canberra Commission on the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons stated: “…the CTBT obligation permanently to cease or forgo nuclear testing sets the psychological stage for moving toward elimination of nuclear weapons.”

If the United States or Russia were to resume nuclear weapons tests they Jordan’s Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications, Mohammad Al Momani (left) with CTBTO Executive Secretary would be followed by others, leading to a Lassina Zerbo, in Amman, Jordan, on 2 December 2013, announcing that Jordan will host the CTBTO’s Integrated Field Exercise 2014. costly arms race and increased tensions. in Jordan later this year (for more When Kennedy sent the PTBT Russia has said it will continue a information, see page 26). to the Senate, former members of the voluntary nuclear-testing moratorium Eisenhower administration spoke in "as long as other nuclear weapons States Mohammad Hussien Al Momani, favour. Harold Stassen, disarmament do the same."1 If this moratorium were Jordan’s Minister of State for Media advisor under Eisenhower, told the tragically to end it would be like a return Affairs and Communications, recently Senate: “I emphasize that this treaty is in to the Cold War days. No one wants to stated: "Jordan is proud to host this the best interests of mankind.” see that again. The only place left for exercise. It is in line with Jordan's desire nuclear tests is the history books. to strengthen the nuclear disarmament Stassen went on to warn of and non-proliferation framework, in the dangers of failing to impose RESOURCES SHOULD NOT particular in the Middle East." restraints on nuclear weaponry, BE WASTED ON NUCLEAR stating that nuclear proliferation TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT Nearly 20 years ago, the “would multiply the dangers of a government of Canada published a miscalculated firing of a nuclear What we want to see is the opposite. paper on aerial inspection confidence bomb, or a madman’s first nuclear We want nations to join treaties like the building measures to help build peace attack, or an accidental nuclear CTBT and save their resources for more in the Middle East. The upcoming explosion, or a foolhardy overplayed important objectives than nuclear testing CTBT inspection exercise in Jordan nuclear bluffing, or other action and development. The Center for Arms could also be a good building block which would, in a terror-tense world Control and Non-Proliferation says that for future security in the Middle East set off a chain reaction of horrible "China is very likely to ratify the CTBT and the world. nuclear devastation.” Any questions? after the U.S. does." Certainly, India and Pakistan are much more likely to join if President Obama is committed Ending nuclear testing was part the United States has signed on. Neither to ratifying the CTBT, finishing a goal of what President Kennedy referred to country can afford nuclear weapons with shared by almost every president as a “peace race – to advance together their high rates of hunger and poverty. since Dwight Eisenhower. In fact, step by step, stage by stage, until President Eisenhower and President general and complete disarmament has The CTBT is enforced through an Kennedy both supported the goal been achieved.“ international monitoring and inspection of ending nuclear testing, and their system, the one that will be tested efforts did achieve the Partial Test Ban When Kennedy pushed the Treaty (PTBT), which entered into PTBT through the Senate he had the ______force in 1963. Both Republicans and support of the public through the [1] Remarks by H.E. Alexander V. Zmeyevskiy, Democrats supported this plan. The Citizens Committee for a Nuclear Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the CTBTO, at the fifth Senate would need to show the same Test Ban Treaty. This committee was conference to promote the CTBT’s entry into kind of bipartisan cooperation to get headed by one of Eisenhower's test force, September 2007. the CTBT passed today. ban negotiators, James Wadsworth.

CTBTO SPECTRUM 22 | AUGUST 2014 Soviet and American scientists at the 1958 Geneva Conference of Experts discussing nuclear test detection. »The only place

left for nuclear U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower's making a statement on tests is the suspending nuclear testing on 22 August 1958. history books.«

Harvard and many others. Dr James An earlier version of this article was featured Killian, Eisenhower’s science advisor, was a in The Huffington Post on 2 January 2014. member of Kennedy's Citizens Committee.

Today, there are groups like Global Zero, the Ploughshares Fund BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES and the Friends Committee on National Legislation who can help build that public support for the CTBT. U.S. President John F. Kennedy ratifying the Partial Test These organizations have dedicated Ban Treaty, 7 October 1963. followers worldwide who can build significant support for the CTBT, NO TOTAL NUCLEAR which is so essential for progress on DISARMAMENT WITHOUT nuclear disarmament. A TEST BAN TREATY We can’t let up when it comes to It was Wadsworth who wrote in 1962: non-proliferation. We cannot as a world "Failure in the nuclear-test-treaty society forget that nuclear weapons and talks would be a very bad omen their dangers still very much exist. The job indeed for success in the broader area of nuclear arms control and disarmament is of negotiations." He was among many, still far from complete. both Democrats and Republicans, WILLIAM LAMBERS who were committed to ending Support for the CTBT, as well as for is an author and journalist. His nuclear testing. There could be no successful negotiations with Iran, will be so writings have been published by total nuclear disarmament, after all, crucial for today’s race for peace. The New York Times, Huffington without a test ban treaty. Post, Cincinnati Enquirer, Providence Journal, Des Moines A lasting agreement with Iran Register, History News Network and The Citizens Committee even and ratification of the CTBT are two other media outlets. His books included statements of support from goals within reach. It's diplomacy in include Nuclear Weapons and The college and university presidents from action, the only road to peace and Road to Peace. Oregon, Purdue, Florida, Pittsburgh, nuclear disarmament.

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