This article too is probably right for the wrong reasons. Not operating safety, not economics, but the close link between nuclear power and weapons technologies is the greatest cause for concern, IMHO. All nations that acquired nuclear weapons over the last few decades, did so under the guise of generating power. Iran transparently tries the same. Pakistan, e.g., stole the Dutch ultra-centrifuge secrets from Hengelo.
It's hard to say how big these risks are. If no nuclear weapons are ever used in conflict (as we may hope), one could claim that the risk was small. After all, an armed society is a polite society, right? I'm not so sure.
The problem is that countries already have nuclear weapons. What gives one country a right to them, but not another? It seems all nuclear weapons should be destroyed, and an inspection system setup between all countries who chose to employ nuclear power, which is what the IAEA does:
http://www.iaea.org/safeguards/what.html
If a country pursues nuclear power without agreeing to IAEA inspections, then other countries have the right to feel threatened. Those with nuclear weapons need to prove they are disposing of them promptly (which they're not) or other countries have the right to feel threatened.
This article too is probably right for the wrong reasons. Not operating safety, not economics, but the close link between nuclear power and weapons technologies is the greatest cause for concern, IMHO. All nations that acquired nuclear weapons over the last few decades, did so under the guise of generating power. Iran transparently tries the same. Pakistan, e.g., stole the Dutch ultra-centrifuge secrets from Hengelo.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to say how big these risks are. If no nuclear weapons are ever used in conflict (as we may hope), one could claim that the risk was small. After all, an armed society is a polite society, right? I'm not so sure.
The problem is that countries already have nuclear weapons. What gives one country a right to them, but not another? It seems all nuclear weapons should be destroyed, and an inspection system setup between all countries who chose to employ nuclear power, which is what the IAEA does:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.iaea.org/safeguards/what.html
If a country pursues nuclear power without agreeing to IAEA inspections, then other countries have the right to feel threatened. Those with nuclear weapons need to prove they are disposing of them promptly (which they're not) or other countries have the right to feel threatened.
That's a nice theory ;-)
ReplyDelete