THE EDITOR, Sir
THERE IS a great deal of controversy and hypocrisy surrounding the possession of weapons of mass destruction of which biological, chemical, and thermonuclear devices are regarded as the most lethal and destructive. There is no doubt that this hypocrisy and controversy appear to be more about the right of ownership rather than the perniciousness of the weapons themselves.
It is extremely hypocritical that nations that invent and develop each new weapon of mass destruction see no evil in their ownership of this form of weaponry, but seek to demonise other nations for even trying to carry out basic research pertaining to the feasibility of obtaining such a weapon.
The owners of any new weapon always surround themselves with an air of moral authority and superiority. Armed with this superior perception of themselves, these powerful nations believe that they have a God-given right to prevent other nations from acquiring a similar device. We have all witnessed the outcome of this feeling of moral authority and superiority by the biggest owner of weapons of mass destruction on the face of the earth, the United States of America. The current administrators of this giant of a nation earnestly believe that they have a mission from God to prevent other nations from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. These administrators firmly believe that the United States should have a monopoly on violence. They have even convinced themselves that America is the most responsible guardian of this massive stockpile of lethal weaponry.
BLATANT ATROCITIES
And yet, the evidence shows that the United States is the only nation to have unleashed the deadliest of these weapons (the nuclear bomb) on thousands of Japanese civilians in 1945. The evidence shows the U.S. is the first nation to have used the dreaded napalm bomb on innocent women and children in Vietnam. And the list of irresponsible blatant atrocities goes on and on.
It is ironic that the more the U.S. tries to tighten its grip on the spread of weapons of mass destruction, the greater the risk of their proliferation. There is no doubt that the U.S. aggression in Iraq has taught all nations a very important lesson in defence. North Korea and Iran are racing to develop nuclear weapons as deterrents against probable pre-emptive strikes by the United States.
It is sad to say that by its moralistic self-righteous hypocrisy, the United States is making this world a very unsafe place in which to bring up our children and grandchildren. For instead of curbing violence around the world, this giant of a nation has increased it. And it has by its actions unwittingly encouraged the spread of these destructive devices throughout the world.
I am, etc.,
RUPERT JOHNSON
r.b.johnson@sympatico.ca
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
