It's the latest thing in fashion accessories for Third—World thugs with shriveling, um, self—esteem. With all his oil money —— which he is now dedicating to monuments to his nagging inferiority complex, like Venezuela's 24 new jet fighters from Russia —— it's only a matter of time until Hugo Chavez and others just like him buy nukes of their own. They don't need them, and it will make the world much, much more dangerous, but can anybody doubt that Chavez and his ilk really thirst after the Biggest Bombs in sight? How long will it be before he can buy them off the shelf from Iran or Pakistan? Half a decade?

In 1962 the United States and the Soviet Union almost went to war over Soviet missiles in Cuba. A possible nuclear exchange was averted with some mutual face—saving withdrawals, after the freakiest confrontation of the Cold War. We should ask all presidential candidates long before the next election:

What definitive, workable plan do you have for controlling the wild spread of nuclear weapons?

Ahmadinejad may use nukes deliberately to try destroy Israel —— which would trigger massive retaliation —— or intimidate his Saudi neighbors. But ego nukes have no use whatsoever. They just multiply the chances of accidental explosions, or military coups to take control of the jewels of megabomb machismo, or, in the case of countries like Pakistan, as tempting targets for terrorist groups like bin Laden and his copycats. In Columbia, the Cocaine Cartel may want its own; it would make them immune from any enforcement efforts.

This is not a tolerable situation, but countries like Russia and China are still hoping that the US will either be more hurt by nukes—for—thugs, or that the US will do something about it —— thereby taking the risks for all the feckless countries in the world. At some point the Chechen rebels will be able to get their own and Moscow will be a target. Restive Muslim Uguirs in China could make a deal with the Chechens to use nukes on Beijing. Therefore Russia and China are also in the bull's eye, but they are still hoping the crocodile will eat them last. This is grossly irresponsible and self—destructive, but they just don't get it yet.

Conservatives won't like this, but it's hard to see any other approach than intrusive inspections of all WMD programs in the world. The alternative is too horrible to contemplate, and if there is a nuclear explosion —— by accident or design —— worldwide political hysteria will be so intense that the feckless UN is likely to gain the power over worldwide inspections. What a terrible idea. It's much better for responsible democratic nations to take the initiative. But it must work. 

James Lewis   9 22 06