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Pastimes : Rarely is the question asked: "is our children learning" -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Sladek who wrote (2059)	2/15/2004 7:25:29 AM
From: John Sladek	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2171

A nuclear credibility problem Posted on Fri, Feb. 13, 2004 President Bush's call for a crackdown on nuclear proliferation is the right message from a flawed messenger. The first step for the president in achieving his goals is conducting a fundamental reassessment of his own excessively confrontational foreign policy. The speech Bush delivered Wednesday at Washington's National Defense University was welcome but years late. The threat of nuclear proliferation has grown more dire since he took office, and much of the problem can be traced to the leader of the world's premier nuclear power. Bush made it clear that he blames other nations, the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the worldwide failure to contain the spread of nuclear weapons. But those he criticized are far from the only culprits. The president conveniently refused to address international complaints about the indifference, bordering sometimes on contempt, that the United States has shown for diplomatic attempts to stop nuclear proliferation. In the last three years, Bush has appeared to be seeking one standard for the rest of the world and another for the United States with this following record: Money for a 1992 program created to destroy Russian nuclear weapons before terrorists can steal them was cut by almost $42 million under Bush's 2005 budget. The co-author of the program, Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., has called on the administration to appoint someone to oversee all non-proliferation efforts. While cutting money for Lugar's program, the administration is seeking $500 million over the next five years for research on new nuclear weapons intended to break up underground bunkers. The goal is to produce smaller-scale weapons easier for use in war, thereby risking escalation. Another $10.7 billion for the Star Wars missile defense system, a project that risks encouraging China and other nations to build more nuclear weapons. A refusal to revive the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signed by President Clinton and rejected by the Senate. Bush's belated appreciation for the seriousness of the nuclear proliferation threat may quicken the search for answers at home and overseas. He can help the process by turning away from a militarized foreign policy and matching his words with deeds that gain respect from other nations. fortwayne.com