Comments on: Iraqi Parliamentarian Warns, Obama’s Vision to Become ‘A Joke and a Tragedy’ if Iran Gets the Bomb http://www.heatherrobinson.net/blog/2009/12/17/iraqi-parliamentarian-warns-obamas-vision-to-become-a-joke-and-a-tragedy-if-iran-gets-the-bomb/ Journalist - Middle East Commentator Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:01:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: Erik B. http://www.heatherrobinson.net/blog/2009/12/17/iraqi-parliamentarian-warns-obamas-vision-to-become-a-joke-and-a-tragedy-if-iran-gets-the-bomb/#comment-23420 Erik B. Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:37:46 +0000 http://www.heatherrobinson.net/blog/2009/12/17/iraqi-parliamentarian-warns-obamas-vision-to-become-a-joke-and-a-tragedy-if-iran-gets-the-bomb/#comment-23420 Mithal al-Alusi certainly gives an insightful and unique perspective on Iran. There are currently 9 countries with nuclear weapons Russia 12,987 United States 9,552 France 300 Israel 200 United Kingdom 192 China 176 Pakistan 90 India 75 North Korea 2 Having Iran added to the “nuclear weapon club” would certainly be a detriment to stabilization in the area. However, there does appear to be some progress on nuclear arms control between the US and Russia would could favorably effect the situation with Iran given Russia’s close proximity to Iran: <i>The United States and Russia have reached agreement on most major issues in a new treaty that would cut their deployed strategic nuclear warheads by one-fourth and allow each side to continue to verify the other's stockpiles, officials said Friday. Negotiators have been racing to conclude a replacement for the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START, the nuclear giants' most extensive nuclear treaty. It expired Dec. 5. ... Obama sees the treaty as key in reestablishing U.S. credibility on arms control in the run-up to an international conference next year reviewing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. <b>The U.S. government hopes to tighten the global nuclear regime to discourage countries like Iran from developing a bomb.</b> The new START treaty is expected to reduce deployed nuclear warheads used for long-range missions from 2,200 to between 1,500 and 1,675. It also is expected to slash the number of vehicles that can carry nuclear warheads or bombs from 1,600 to about 800. Those vehicles include heavy bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarines.</i> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/18/AR2009121801998.html?hpid=topnews Mithal al-Alusi certainly gives an insightful and unique perspective on Iran.

There are currently 9 countries with nuclear weapons

Russia 12,987
United States 9,552
France 300
Israel 200
United Kingdom 192
China 176
Pakistan 90
India 75
North Korea 2

Having Iran added to the “nuclear weapon club” would certainly be a detriment to stabilization in the area.

However, there does appear to be some progress on nuclear arms control between the US and Russia would could favorably effect the situation with Iran given Russia’s close proximity to Iran:

The United States and Russia have reached agreement on most major issues in a new treaty that would cut their deployed strategic nuclear warheads by one-fourth and allow each side to continue to verify the other’s stockpiles, officials said Friday.

Negotiators have been racing to conclude a replacement for the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START, the nuclear giants’ most extensive nuclear treaty. It expired Dec. 5.
…

Obama sees the treaty as key in reestablishing U.S. credibility on arms control in the run-up to an international conference next year reviewing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. The U.S. government hopes to tighten the global nuclear regime to discourage countries like Iran from developing a bomb.

The new START treaty is expected to reduce deployed nuclear warheads used for long-range missions from 2,200 to between 1,500 and 1,675.

It also is expected to slash the number of vehicles that can carry nuclear warheads or bombs from 1,600 to about 800. Those vehicles include heavy bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarines.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/18/AR2009121801998.html?hpid=topnews

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