This blog will be used as a response to another blog by globalizedworld. To see the blog, click here.
In summary the author’s argument is that nuclear proliferation is good because it creates a balance of power in which by the realist and constructivist view, the UN and US are making the wrong thing in issueing sanctions on Iran.
From a realist point of view, nuclear proliferation is good in ensuring that there is a balance of (nuclear) power. But as we have learn in class, realist’s only view towards peace is states striving for a balance of power, which balance of power really leads no where when we look at the short-comings of the realist thoery. By using the example of state A (US) vs state B (Iran), we can see how in realist theory as state A and B builds up their security one state will feel the tension to build more security in turn the other state will also act accordingly. It becomes a ladder of both state never really achieving a balance of power. So if nuclear proliferation is good in that it helps create a balance of power, we will never see it to be achieve.
Since by constructivist theory, Iran’s nuclear proliferation is more threatening than Britain’s, the idea would be that the US should not trust Iran and thus place sanctions to their nuclear enrichment plans. This view is not the view to be agreed upon but rather when we really look into the situation at hand, the constructivist theory doesn’t link to the current situation. So in response to the claim that “Iran needs to build nuclear weapons because of the looming threat posed by the majority of the world,” I would have disagree most definitely. Because Iran has been targeted as a center figure in funding for terrorist groups, why shouldn’t Iran be seen as a threat when they have access to nuclear power. Not to say that they shouldn’t have any access to enrichment programs but as of the current situation “the process can lead to making nuclear fuel for power plants, or for nuclear weapons if the uranium is enriched to higher levels” (nytimes).
By all means I believe that Iran should be recognized in the world, but because of the our current situation of war, their means of furthering nuclear enrichment can be seen as a greater threat. Therefore, I believe that the UN and the US is doing the right thing because for a certainty, no one would ever want to see threats of a nuclear war.
