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Arms Control Regime: The Right
Answer
United States
successfully ended cold war with Soviet Union without shooting a
bullet through establishment of Arms Control Regime. One can
only wonder why US is not using this useful tool to handle
crisis with Iraq and North Korea. Establishment of Arms Control
Regime with Iraq and North Korea cannot only solve the problem
of WMDs, it may even require less resources and no military
action at all.
How US can do it? Simply, US policy makers have to go
through the similar procedures that they followed with Soviet Union.
Soviet Union engaged with US in Arms Control agreements
to create balance of weapons between itself and the United States. Iraq and
N. Korea neither need to create a balance of weapons with United States nor
they need to have WMDs to deter US from any future attacks.
Both regimes understand that a limited number of WMDs
cannot deter United States launching a war against them. Therefore, it can
be more promising for them to engage with United States in establishment of
Arms Control regime instead.
United States can use Arms Control procedures to setup
long term monitoring systems both in Iraq and North Korea whereas these
twins can get alternative technology from the United States to boost their
economies, level of technological development and standard of living of
their people.
All United States have to do is to give up its stand on
regime change in Iraq and fulfill the agreements she inked with North Korea
in 1994. North Korea’s main complaint against the United States is her
failure to keep up agreements with her.
US should know that it was United States that ever used
nuclear weapons against an alien nation. Now, United States is not facing a
threat from any nation. The threats are coming from shadowy terrorist
organizations such as Al Qaeda. Before, Al Qaeda was hiding in Afghanistan.
United States knocked down Taliban regime to destroy Al Qaeda. But now Al
Qaeda is active in sixty different countries according to Secretary of State
Collin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. It may be difficult for
the United States to knock down regimes in sixty different countries.
Particularly, knocking down regimes in sixty countries may not even solve
the problem because Al Qaeda is a fluid enemy. They are moving from country
to country. If they ever get hold of WMDs they are not going to shy away
from using them against the United States. States such as Iraq and North
Korea taken to task can hand down WMDs to Al Qaeda operatives and cause
major destruction within United States or in he allied countries.
Therefore, a better approach for the United States to
deal with Iraq and North Korea is to establish an Arms Control System.
Saddam Hussein may be willing to accept such system on long-term basis
depending on US willingness to work with him. Going to war may prove a
costly venture both financially and humanly; it can also create undesirable
results.
United States’ allies that stood beside her in gulf war
in 1991 are not only uncooperative; France has showed intentions to veto any
war resolution in UN Security Council. Other European and Middle Eastern
allies also seem reluctant to support US war against Iraq.
Under these circumstances, US may be better off to go for
establishment of Arms Control System in Iraq and follow the same line in
North Korea. As a matter of fact, US may use the same tool with other
countries it suspects can hand down WMDs to Al Qaeda or other terrorist
organizations.
In order to establish Arms Control Regime, US may have to
assure the rest of the world to not to use nuclear weapons first. It may
have to destroy some of her WMDs and it may have to work with some persona
non grata.
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