Nuclear Proliferation - Essay Example

Nuclear Proliferation Lecture The lecture of Jonathan Schell delivered in the was very insightful and thought provoking. In this lecture, he offered his reflections about the nuclear proliferation threat and commented on the new policy to control the proliferation. The remarkable point in his lecture was that he presented the nuclear proliferation as a global issue for which a consensus was required to solve it. Schell introduced the nuclear proliferation by comparing it with the global warming issue and said each of the issue was a global one which could only be solved through global solution.

He asserted the strong linkage between these ecological issues which have potential threats for the environment. Having discussed the issue of nuclear danger, he offered his insightful views on the specific policies regarding the nuclear proliferation. In this regard, he highlighted the change in the nuclear policy that has been witnessed over the past few years and termed it as the Bush doctrine. Prior to the invasion of Iraq, all the previous presidents had tried to resolve the nuclear issue diplomatically.

However, in the backdrop of the tragic incident of 9/11, Bush took a new preemptive stance like the United States’ brief exploration of possibility of the first strike on China before it could build the bomb. Schell defended this preemptive policy in the context of terrorist attack of 9/11 on the United States. Instead of condemning this preemptive policy, Schell continued to elaborate the possible future nuclear threats in the post 9/11 world. He presented the significant example of Pakistan and imparted awareness to the audience Pakistani becoming the nuclear state.

The focus of his speech was on Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan’s activities of offering to sell the nuclear weapons to other states as well as to the terrorist groups. This account of Khan’s proliferation activities was supported by a former Ambassador to Pakistan present there who further explained to the audience details of the Khan’s efforts to sell the nuclear technology. The stance of Schell in this regard was quite daunting and he was of the opinion that the only solution to this problem was disarming the nuclear state.

Schell said the major powers would have to offer the biggest ever bargaining chip to use for the peace talk if they wanted to take some serious steps. Schell clarified that it was not an idealistic solution although, according to him, it was necessary if the nuclear proliferation was ever to work. Finally, Schell advised that it had been over 60 years that the world was pondering over the nuclear issue and now the time had come for the world to have a consensus on the issue in order to resolve it permanently.

The speech of Schell was quite inspiring and convincing. However, there were some doubts too which needed careful consideration. The threat of the nuclear proliferation, I think, is not from the other countries that can attack on the United States but the real threat is posed by the renegade individuals outside the realm of government who are ambitious to use these weapons of mass destruction. The military strength of the United States is fully capable to deter any country from engaging in war.

However, it can do little to stop those individuals who represent an ideology and are determined to attack on other countries. After considering the arguments offered by Schell and the threats posed by such ambitious extremists, I think, the major countries cannot accomplish the task of disarming nuclear states for which they are deciding. Rather, nuclear proliferation can be checked only through joint efforts of the world community from the platform of an international organization like the United Nation.