Preventing Proliferation - A Role for the ICC
The New York Times has story today on a link with the Iranian nuclear program to a company in Japan. Apparently, Mitutoyo, a precision instruments maker, which is known to have supplied equipment to Libya for their nuclear program, may well have done the same for Iran. The measuring equipment supplied by the company would be extremely useful, if not essential, in the construction of advanced P2-model centrifuges for uranium enrichment.
It is already known that Iran has obtained P2 technology from Pakistan, and that they are trying to construct their own versions of the centrifuge. This story appears to add an important piece of evidence to the case against Iran. They may be years away from the bomb, but the Iranian government has been lying to the IAEA about their activities to cover up their cheating on their IAEA safeguards agreement.
This episode shows the need for widespread and effective criminal sanctions for the proliferation of nuclear weapons, or of materials or equipment that could be used for that end. Individual nations simply can't be trusted to deal with such matters. As evidence for that, note that global nuclear smuggler A.Q. Khan has been allowed to retire peacefully to one of his luxury villas in Pakistan, without even briefing intelligence services outside Pakistan on the full extent of his crimes.
Since nuclear weapons can only be used to commit mass murder, it follows that illicit proliferation activities should be treated as crimes against humanity. Individuals and officials that commit such crimes should liable to end up on trial in the Hague at the International Criminal Court, just as those who commit genocide are.
This possibility would send a strong message that the world is serious about preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, and treat illicit proliferation as seriously as it deserves to be treated.
Just a thought.
It is already known that Iran has obtained P2 technology from Pakistan, and that they are trying to construct their own versions of the centrifuge. This story appears to add an important piece of evidence to the case against Iran. They may be years away from the bomb, but the Iranian government has been lying to the IAEA about their activities to cover up their cheating on their IAEA safeguards agreement.
This episode shows the need for widespread and effective criminal sanctions for the proliferation of nuclear weapons, or of materials or equipment that could be used for that end. Individual nations simply can't be trusted to deal with such matters. As evidence for that, note that global nuclear smuggler A.Q. Khan has been allowed to retire peacefully to one of his luxury villas in Pakistan, without even briefing intelligence services outside Pakistan on the full extent of his crimes.
Since nuclear weapons can only be used to commit mass murder, it follows that illicit proliferation activities should be treated as crimes against humanity. Individuals and officials that commit such crimes should liable to end up on trial in the Hague at the International Criminal Court, just as those who commit genocide are.
This possibility would send a strong message that the world is serious about preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, and treat illicit proliferation as seriously as it deserves to be treated.
Just a thought.
posted by Martin Butcher at
7:38 pm
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