Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman)

On Thursday, 122 UN member states adopted the first ever treaty banning nuclear weapons. It’s legally-binding when taking effect - without an enforcement mechanism to assure compliance.

The treaty states “(e)ach State Party undertakes never under any circumstances to…develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.”

All nine nuclear powers, NATO members except the Netherlands opposing the treaty, boycotted the meeting, along with Japan and South Korea. Iran supported it, long ago urging a nuclear-free Middle East. Singapore abstained.

On September 20, the measure will be open for signing by all nations. It will become effective 90 days after ratification by 50 member states.

Costa Rican UN envoy/president of negotiations to ban nuclear weapons said “(w)e have managed to sow the first seeds of a world free of nuclear weapons.”

“We (are) saying to our children that, yes, it is possible to inherit a world free from nuclear weapons.”

According to International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons executive director Beatrice Fihn, thousands of nuclear weapons haven’t deterred Pyongyang from developing its own - or any other country wishing to have them.

A new approach is needed, prohibition a first step, she stressed.

Nuclear-armed nations include America, Russia, China, Britain, France, Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea.

Washington intends strengthening its nuclear arsenal. Trump rejected Obama’s 2010 New START Treaty with Russia, calling it “a bad deal.”

He lied claiming Moscow breached the 1987 INF Treaty. He said America “ must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes,” adding:

“Let it be an arms race. We will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all” - an ominous threat reflecting nuclear madness.

US imperial policy threatening Russia and China forced both countries to prepare for global war, risking mass annihilation without efforts to step back from the brink.

Putin earlier explained “it’s not us who have been speeding up the arms race,” explaining in response to US actions and intentions, Russia “need(s) to strengthen the military potential of strategic nuclear forces, especially with missile complexes that can reliably penetrate any existing and prospective missile defense systems.”

In response to the Bush/Cheney administration withdrawing from the 1972 ABM Treaty, Putin explained “(w)hen one party unilaterally withdrew from the treaty and said it was going to create an anti-nuclear umbrella, the other party has to either create a similar umbrella…or create effective ways to overcome this anti-ballistic missile system and improve its strike capabilities.”

The 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) pillars include non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use of nuclear energy. Article VI states:

“Each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.”

If nuclear weapons aren’t renounced and abandoned by all nations, one day they’ll end us.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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