'Israel, Pakistan and India are stable countries'

Moot point! I'd say that those 3 are the countries most likely to use them! (if anyone's going to...) The only thing keeping India and Pakistan from killing each other again in another war is the fact that the other side has nukes.

The same would apply to Israel and Iran. Israel will never use them unless invaded and about to be defeated, Iran won't use them as the 'mad mullahs' are actually rather sensible and won't fancy being wiped off the map. The effect of Iran getting nuclear weapons will instead be quite positive - the US wont be able to bully them and will instead have to engage with them.

That way lies the path of normality and peace. If it wasn't for all this fuss, and we'd just left them to develop the technology they want to, we'd have a sensible (if corrupt) Iranian president instead of the right-wing nutter we currently have to talk to.

The last thing we want in that region is a stand-off and sanctions, alienating even further a country that we really could do with strengthening ties with.

Posted By: CWC, Jun 11, 19:32:40