Who can/can not have WMD?

[nataliemarie]

Okay, so no one in my company like the talk politics... and I don't speak Korean, and I'm an avid devils advocate and love to debate. So, I must resort to the wonderful world we call: cyberspace.

While debating in an multi-national thread called: "WMD", this subject came up:

Why is it okay for America to have WMD and not Iraq?

Although the inquiry is at a much larger scale, it can be compared to a question such as:

Why is it okay for a certified nanny to babysit your kids, but not a convicted murderer?

Now, it is a little hard I'll admit because I seem to be the only person in that forum whom supports the US (except one guy who I think has gone mad!)... some of their comments:

1. "The UN must pull itself together, insist that ALL countries submit themselves to search, and oversee the destruction of ALL weaponry."

2. "Bush had a grudge. That's the only logical explanation for the Iraq war."

3. "..the USA has shown little regard for the UN's authority."

4. "Even if the US views itself as the only country that can be trusted to decide when war is right or wrong, most of the rest of the world does not see the US this way..."

and...

5. "While the Iraqi regime was useful to the West i.e. as an enemy of Iran, anything the regime did was ignored.
When Iran became less of a threat the powers that be thought it was time to get a more co-operative regime or maybe complete overt control."

It's not just us...

International Atomic Energy Agency: The Vienna, Austria-based agency monitors and inspects nuclear technology worldwide to certify that it is not being used to make weapons. It was established as an autonomous organization under the United Nations in 1957.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: Under the terms of the treaty, known as NPT, five of the world's eight nuclear powers have agreed to disarm while the 182 non-nuclear signatories have agreed to remain free of nuclear weapons. India and Pakistan have refused to sign the treaty, which was created in 1968 and entered into force in 1970. Israel refuses to admit it has nuclear weapons.

Chemical Weapons Convention: This calls for the elimination of chemical weapons. The treaty was entered into force in 1997; 153 countries have signed and ratified it, including the United States.

Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention: This calls for eliminating biological weapons. The treaty was entered into force in 1975; 151 countries have signed and ratified it, including the United States.

*sigh*