GlobalZero:WorldwithoutNuclearWeapons

ByIrshadAliSodhar(FSP)

Outline

1.Introduction
2.Briefhistoryofnuclearweapons
3.Perilsofnuclearweapons
4.Needtoeliminatenuclearweapons
5.Globalzeroinitiative
6.Isthisgoalachievable?Yes:
a.Historicalsupport
b.Politicalwill
c.Strongpublicsupport
d.Newleadership
7.Howtoachieveit?Procedure/Strategy:
a.RatificationofNPT/CTBT
b.ReductionbytheUSandRussia
c.Eliminationbyallnuclearstates
d.Followup:controlmechanism
8.CreationofInternationalNuclearFuelBank
9.Advantagesofnuclearzero
10.Conclusion
Thisisthemomenttobegintheworkofseekingthepeaceofworldwithoutnuclear
weapons(BarakObama)
Manhasachievedtremendousprogressindevelopingscientifictechnologyforthewelfareandwell
beingofhumanity,butsimultaneously,hehasalsodevelopedweaponsforhisowndestruction.To
acquirepowerthemostflagrantofallpassionshecreatedweaponsincludingexplosive,chemical,
biologicalandnuclear.Amongthem,thenuclearweaponsarethemostdestructivecausingmass
destruction.Though,thesehavebeenusedonceinhistoryduringtheWorldWarII,thesehave
createdaperpetualfearofannihilationamongallhumans.Now,withtheevolvingofamulti
culturalglobalisedworld,thereisanincreaseinmomentumtodevelopaconsensusforachieving
GlobalZeroeliminationofallnuclearweapons.Tosucceedinthisinitiative,theneedistosit
together,contemplate,deviseastrategyandagreetodivertthiscapabilityfromweaponsto
welfareofhumanity.Themostresoundingargument,generatingurgetoachievethissurpassable
taskliesinthebriefhistoryofapocalypticperilsofnuclearweapons.
TheperilsofatomicweaponsweremanifestasthetwocitiesofJapanwerewreakedwhenthe
bombsweredroppedonthem.InHiroshima,some75,000peoplewereimmediatelykilledbyblast,
fireandradiation.Another70,000diedbytheendof1945.ThreedayslaterinNagasaki,plutonium
bombkilledabout40,000peopleimmediately,another75,000diedbytheendof1945.Fivedays
afterNagasakisflattening,Japansurrendered.Buttheimpactdidntstopthere.Thousandspeople
diedinfollowingyearsduetoradiation.Tensofthousandsbecamedisabled.Notonlythepeople
presentatthetimesufferedbuttheunbornaswell.Thousandsotherswerebornwithdeformities
andgeneticdisordersduetowhichsuccessivegenerationshavesuffered.
TheAmericansandJapaneselearneddifferentlessonsfromthesebombings.TheAmericans
lessonwasthenuclearweaponswinwars,andthereforehavevalue.TheJapanese
learnedthathumanbeingandnuclearweaponscannotcoexist.(DavidKrieger,President
NuclearAgePeaceFoundation).However,thedangerposedbynuclearweaponstodayisfar
greaterthanthedestructiontheycausedinHiroshimaandNagasaki.

Today,thenumberofnuclearweaponsaroundtheworldisabout30,000bombswithfargreater
weightanddestructionpower.Evenafractionoftheseweaponscouldputanendtohumanaswell
asotherspeciesonourplanet.ItisclearthatifwedontachieveGlobalZero,ourplanetisalways
atrisk,ofbeingconvertedintoaGroundZero.Thiscouldhappennotonlyduetoadeliberateact
butalsoaccidentalincident.Therefore,thereisastrongreasonthattheseweaponsmustbe
abolishedbeforetheyabolishus.
Theneedtoeliminatenuclearweaponsisnotonlybecausethesecanbeusedfordestructioninwar
butalsobecausetheyposeequaldangerintimesofpeace.TherehavebeenCloseCallsto
annihilationinvariousoccasions.[In1995]PresidentBorisYeltsinwasinformedthatanuclear
missilewasspeedingtowardstheheartofRussia.Russiannuclearforces,alreadyonhairtrigger
alert,wereputinevenhigheralert.Russianpolicycalledforalaunchonwarning.Thefateofthe
planethunginthebalance.Yeltsinwiselywaited.Andwithinthosemoments,thealarmdeclared
false.Anunimaginablenucleardisasterhadbarelybeenavoided,declaredAmericasDefense
Monitor,CenterforDefenceInformation,December26,1999.
Another,importantincidenttookplaceintheUSonAugust31,2007.AirForcecrewloadedsixlive
nuclearwarheadsontoa852BomberandflewfromMinotAirForceBaseinNorthDakotato
BarksdakAirForceBaseincruisingoverthecountrysheartland(Around15states).Eachwarhead
was10timesmorepowerfulthantheatomicbombsdroppedonHiroshimaandNagasaki.In
analysisreport,AmericasDefencescienceBoard(DSB)revealedthatsixoftheplanetsmost
powerfulweaponsweremissingandnoonenoticeduntiltheyhadlandedinLouisianaafterflightof
3hours.Thereportconcludedthathumanerrorwasattheheartoftheincident.
Thisincidentunderscorestheriskofaccidentalnuclearexplosionthreatduetohumanerroreven
inthecountryofitsoriginandinthepeacetimes.Itisimportanttonotethatthisincident
occurredintheUS,whichclaimstoemployworldsbestsafetystandardsfornuclearweapons.
WhiletheUSitselfkeepsexpressingconcernoverthesafetyofPakistansnucleararsenal.
Itislearntfromtheseincidentsthatthehumanityisattheriskofjustsinglehumanerror,ifthe
nuclearweaponsexistintheworld.Therefore,wisdomcallsforeliminationofallnuclearweapons
inordertomakethefutureofhumanityourgenerationandourfuturegenerationssafeand
secure.
Inaddition,theColdWarwhichwasthepushingforcebehindnuclearracehasendedtwodecades
ago.Alsoduetotheinterdependenceofstatesinthecurrentscenario,thereisunlikenessofrevival
ofsuchconflicts.
Moreover,thepresenceofnuclearweaponsinsomestatesprovidesreasonandpretextforother
ambitiousnationstoacquirethesamestatus.Thisunwiseracehasitselfcauseddevastatingeffects
oneconomyandhumandevelopment,particularlyindevelopingcountries.
Oneofthemajorworldpowers,theUSSRtoo,collapsedundertheheavyburdenofextraordinary
defencespendingoneconomy.ThedevelopingcountrieslikeIndia,Pakistan,andNorthKoreaalso
joinedtherace.Theydidsucceedinacquiringnuclearweaponsbuttheirpoorpopulationissuffering
fromabjectpoverty.AcountrylikePakistan,whichismerelysurvivingattheedgeofeconomic
insolvency,couldgainmucheconomicgrowth,hadtheresourcesbeenutilisedforthewelfareof
people.IraniansarebearingthesanctionsimposedbywesternpowersthroughtheUNforpursuing
nucleartechnology,whichaccordingtothem,isaimedatacquiringweapons.
Besides,theargumenttopossessnuclearweaponstomaintaindeterrencecapabilityhasalsolost
itsground.Morethestatesacquirenukes,moretheriskoftheirusebuildsup.Moreover,the
presenceofnukesalwaysposesriskofslippingintothehandsofterrorists.AdmiralNoelGayler,a
formercommanderinchiefofthePacificCommandofUSNavy,asks,Isdifferenceofnuclear
weaponsstillpossible?Heanswers,No.Healsoquestions,Doesnucleardisarmamentimperil

oursecurity?Heanswers,No,itenhancesit.Ashumanbeingsarefallible,deterrenceisnota
perfectsystem.Itcanbefailedbyhumanerror,accident,miscalculationorsimply
miscommunication.Doesitmakesensetoriskthefutureofourcitiesandeventhehumanspecies
onanunprovabletheory?,DavidKrieger,founderoftheNuclearAgePeaceFoundation.
Thisiswhy,fortunately,theinitiativeofachievingpeaceoftheworldwithoutnuclearweaponsis
gainingsupportamongboththeseniormilitaryandthepoliticalleadersoftheworld.Theincreasing
numberofleadershaverealisedwhatAbrahamLincolnsaid,Wemustthinkanewandact
anew.Recentlymanyworldleadershaveexpressedwillingnesstomovetowardsthisgoal.British
PrimeMinisterGordenBrownsaidinMarch2008thattheUKwasreadytoworkforaworldthatis
freefromnuclearweapons.OnDecember5,2008,NicholasSarkozy,theFrenchPresident,while
holdingEUPresidency,wrotealettertoUNGeneralSecretary,outlininganEUplantoadvance
globalprogresstowardnucleardisarmament.
Inordertoseizethispositivetrend,toachievethecommitmentoftheentireinternational
community,andtoreenergiseeffortforcompletenucleardisarmament,anewinitiativeGlobal
ZerowaslaunchedonDecember9,2008,inParis.Theinitiativewasendorsedby100international
political,military,businessandcivicleadersacrosstheworld.ThesignatoriesincludedformerUS
PresidentJimmyCarter,formerSovietleaderMikhailGorbachev,formerBritishForeignSecretary
MargaretBecket,QueenNoorofJordan,EhasnulHaq,formerJointChiefoftheStaffcommittee
(JCSC)ofPakistan,formerIndianNationalSecurityadvisorBrajesMishra.
GlobalZeroenvisageseliminatingnuclearweaponsthroughphasedandverifiedreductionovera
periodofyears.Keystepsinclude:
MassivereductioninRussianUSarsenal.
Completeeliminationtozerobyallstates.
Establishingverificationsystemtokeepcheck.
Internationalmanagementofthefuelcycle.
Therearemanypositiveindicatorswhichindicatewhythisgoalisachievable.Firstthereisa
stronghistoricalsupport.Throughoutthenuclearage,evenattheheightoftheColdWar,leaders
foresawadaywhentheworldcouldbefreeofnukes.In1986,SovietPremierMikhailGorbachev
andUSPresidentRonaldReaganagreedthat:Anuclearwarcouldneverbewonandmustnever
befought.In1999,ChinesePresidentJiangZeminstated:Thereisnoreasonwhynuclear
weaponsshouldnotbecomprehensivelybannedandcompletelydestroyed.
SecondasJiangZeminhademphasisedinhisstatement,Whatittakestoreachthisobjectiveis
nomorethanastrongpoliticalwill.Theworldleadersagreewiththeideaofaworldwithoutnukes
andhavethemeanstoachieveit.WhattheyonlyneedisthePoliticalwill.Someanalystsargue
thatevenifthemajorworldpowersagreetoeliminatenuclearweapons,countrylikeIranmight
notagreetoabandonitsambition.ThoughIransnuclearweaponambitionsisafallacy,thereisa
strongreasonwhyIranwouldfollowthecourse.Ifthereisgrowingsupportbynuclearpowersand
publicopinionworldwide,Ithinkitbecomesharderforanygovernment,includingIran,tocross
thatbarrier,saidRichardBurt,whowasWashingtonsChiefnegotiatorintheStrategicArms
ReductionTreaty(START)talksintheearly1990s.Naturally,nocountrycanaffordtobeontheone
sideandwholeoftheworldontheother.
Thirdthereisastrongsupportamongmajorityofthepeoplearoundtheworld.Apollof21
countriesconductedbyProgramonInternationalPolicyAttitudes(PIPA),USA,showsthatglobal
publicopinionisoverwhelminglyinfavoursofaninternationalagreementforeliminatingallnuclear
weapons.76percentofrespondents,acrossallcountriespolled,favoursuchanagreement.Asthe
publicopiniontendstodirectthepoliciesofgovernments,itislikelythattheleaderswouldcometo
thetable.
Fourthatthistimeparticular,thereisanewandgreatopportunity.USPresidentBarakObamaand

RussianPrimeMinisterVladimirPutinhavesignalledtoworkonnucleardisarmament.Theformer
declared,Thisisthemomenttobegintheworksofseekingthepeaceofaworldwithoutnuclear
weapons.Similarly,RussianPrimeMinisterPutinexpressedinaspeechinSeptember2008to
ClosethisPandorasBox.
Thisnewandunprecedentedpoliticalsupportfromtheheadsoftheworldsmostimportant
governmentsforzeronuclearweaponshasmadethisgoalpossible.Thismomentoffersboththe
possibilitiesanddangers.PossibilitiesbecauseofnewleadershipintheUSwhichappearsto
supportthegoalofnuclearabolition.Dangersbecause,ifthismomentpasseswithoutaction,then
thenuclearracecouldquicklygatherpacewithmanymorestatesacquiringweaponsandtherisk
ofweaponsfallingintothehandsofterroristswouldincrease.
Thisopportunitymustbeseized.Itisthetimeforanewbeginningtoachieveaworldfreeof
nuclearweapons.Thismomentcallsforembracingpossibilitiesanddispellingdangers.Thephased
andverifiableeliminationofnuclearweaponsispossible.Herearesomeofthestepsneededto
achievethisgoal:
FirstlytheratificationofNonProliferationTreaty(NPT)andComprehensiveTestBanTreaty
(CTBT).TheNPT,whichwassponsoredbytheUS,UKandtheUSSR,wasaimedtopreventthe
spreadofnuclearweaponsandweapontechnology,topromotecooperationinthepeacefuluseof
nuclearenergyandtofurtherthegoalofachievingnucleardisarmament.Thetreatywassignedby
187statesandwasratifiedin1975.However,theUS,itssponsors,didnotratifyit.Otherfour
countrieswhichhavenotsigneditare:India,Pakistan,IsraelandCuba.Similarly,CTBT,introduced
in1995,hasnotbeenratifiedbymanystates,includingtheUS.ItisstronglyfeltthatiftheUS
ratifiesthesetreaties,otherswouldfollowthecourse.EarlytheUSratificationwoulddomuchto
encouragethefewremainingstatestofollowsuit,wroteDavidMiliband,UKsformerForeign
Secretary,inTheWashingtonPostonDecember8,2008.
SecondlynegotiationsbetweenWashingtonandMoscowshouldstarttocutbacknuclearstockpiles
tominimum.Accordingtomoderateestimates,theUSandRussiahaveabout26000oftotal27000
weaponsintheworld.Asboththesestatespossesslargeststockpiles96percentofallthenuclear
weaponsintheworldtheyshouldreducetheirarsenalinthefirststep.Processneedstostart
withAmericanandRussianleaderships,arguesRichardBurt.
Thisisanabsolutelyinsensibleapproachtoaccumulatethatmuchbigarsenalthatfractionofwhich
candestroythewholeworld.Whenacountrycanbedestroyedbyadozenweapons,itsown
possessionofthousandsofweaponsgainsnosecurity,saysAdmiralNoelGayler.Thehuge
possessionofnukesitselfputslargerresponsibilityontheUSandRussiatoinitiatetheprocessof
disarmamentsuptominimumlevel.ThesuccessfulconclusionofSTARTNEWbetweenboth
powersstrengthensthepossibilityofreachinganagreementonnucleardisarmament.
ThirdlyfollowingthereductionsbytheUSandRussia,therestofthecountriescanbebroughton
boardforcompleteabolitionofnukes.Itwouldnotbeadifficulttask.Oncethepowerfulcountries
leadthecourse,restwillfollowthem.Perhapsothersseempoisedtowelcomesuchmove.The
willingnessofChina,theUKandFrancehasalreadybeenmentioned.ThetwoSouthAsiancountries
IndiaandPakistanarealsoreadytoshunthenukes.LastJune,IndianPrimeMinisterManmohan
Singh,backedthesamegoal,sayingthat:Theonlyeffectiveformofnucleardisarmamentand
eliminationofnuclearweaponsisglobaldisarmament.PresidentZardarihasalsotalkedof
nuclearweaponfreeSouthAsia.NorthKoreaisalreadyonboardinsixpartytalksandhasalso
committedtoabolishnuclearweaponsforeconomicincentives.Theonlycountrywhichhasstayed
silentisIsraelwhichisundeclarednuclearstate.Butgiventheleverage,Washingtonenjoysoverit,
Israelwillhavetobepartoftheprocess.
Oncethisprocesssetsinmomentum,theweaponscouldbedeliveredtoasingleandcommon
remoteplaceinoceansfordismantlingunderthesupervisionofskilledscientists.Thenuclear
materialcouldbereturnedtothedonorsforuseintheenergysectorordisposal.

Lastly,havingachievedthecompleteandverifiedeliminationofnuclearweaponsfromtheworld,
allthecountrieswillhavetoconcludeajointtreatyattheUNplatformbanninganydevelopmentof
nuclearweaponsandtechnology.AsQueenNoorofJordantoldBBC,Wehavetoworkonde
legitimisingthestatusofnuclearweapons.Thisisvitalformakingtheeliminationofnukes
irreversible.Thiswouldrequireestablishingmanymechanismstoconstituteaneventualregimefor
overseeingtheglobalban.
Itisalsoimportanttorealisethatadvantageofuseofnucleartechnologyforpeacefulpurposesis
toogreattobeignored.TheNPTalsounderscorestopromotecooperationinthepeacefuluseof
nuclearenergy.And,everycountryhastherighttoacquirenucleartechnologyforpeaceful
purposes.Butgiventheelementofconflictininternationalaffairsandatmosphereofmistrust,all
thecountriescantbetrustedasreliablefornotpursuingtheambitionsofacquiringnuclear
weaponsagain.Thissituationwarrantsanewapproach,whichwouldallowtheuseofnuclear
energyanddenytheweaponstechnology.
TheGlobalZeroinitiativeenvisagesinternationalmanagementofthefuelcycletopreventfuture
developmentofnuclearweapons.AnagreementonanewInternationalAtomicEnergyAgency
(IAEA)ledsystemthatwouldhelpstateswishingtodevelopacivilnuclearenergyindustrytodoso
withoutincreasingtheriskofnuclearweaponproliferationsaysDavidMiliband.Creationofsuch
internationalfuelbankwouldalsoendtheconflictsintheworldlikeIranNuclearIssue.This
proposalwasalsoforwardedbyIAEAsformerheadMuhammadElbradiasearlyasin2003,that:
allproductionandprocessingofnuclearmaterialbeunderinternationalcontrol.Thisnovelidea
hasattractedtheEUandanAmericanbillionaireWarrenBuffettforfinancingtheproject.
Inthisway,theworldcouldnotonlybesafefromdestructionandthehumanityfromannihilation,
butthetremendousenergypotentialofthenuclearresourcescouldalsobeutilisedforthewelfare
ofpeople.Theresourcesthatgointoweaponswouldhelpkeeppeoplesafeandhealthyandtogive
themopportunities.Notonlytheworldisfacingenergycrisisduetodepletionoffossilfuels,but
withtheiremissionsourenvironmentisbeingdamagedseverely.Nuclearpowerpossesses
tremendousenergyandsimultaneouslyitiscleanenergy.Itisimportantforhealthpurposesasitis
usedinthetreatmentofmanydiseases,includingcancer.Itsuseinagricultureenhancescropyield
whichwouldhelpmitigatethefoodcrisis.
GlobalZeroofferstwoprongedbenefits:achievingsafetybyeliminatingnuclearweaponsandto
achieveprosperitybyusingnuclearenergy.Theleadersofworldhavethegreatestmoral
responsibilitytoseizetheopportunityforthewelfareofthelivingandthefuturegenerationsof
mankind.AsBenazirBhuttosaid,Weoweittoourchildrentobuildaworldfreeofthe
threatofnuclearannihilation.