Child's play

With reference to the UK’s objection to Iran developing nuclear technology, the Financial Times from the 20 February 2007, had a quote from Mohamed Elbaradie, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) he said: “When you see here in the UK, the programme for modernising Trident… it is difficult then for us to turn around and tell everybody else that nuclear deterrents are really no good for you.”

It reminded me of a tactic I had employed to coerce my little sister out of playing with a new toy train that our parents had bought us as children. I successfully convinced her that the train was too dangerous for her to play with. She believed me, and the train was mine. But being no fool, she soon realized if I could play with it, so could she.

If an eight year old child could see through a façade of hypocrisy, how can the UK actually expect Iran or any other country not to see through its obvious blatant double standards?
Clearly nuclear weapons are no toy trains, and Iran’s president is nothing like an eight year old child. Admittedly the US and the UK are constantly claiming that they hope this matter will be peacefully resolved. But they are also sending mixed signals. Because, they then promptly follow it up with another statement that military action is not off the table. So the options are either co-operation or be attacked. Sounds like bullying- to me.

Surely great nations have developed better strategies to ensure world peace than the ones’ employed by children?