Comment by cortesoft | Hacker News Reader

Comment by cortesoft | Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

You make a good point, but the part about Iran asking for our permission before starting the nuclear program doesn't really add much. Of course they didn't ask, just like the US didn't ask before starting our nuclear program. A nation state is an autonomous entity, and doesn't ask permission before making any action within its own borders.

The US, and any other nation state, will of course conduct covert operations, including spying on other nation states. I don't find anything inherently wrong or immoral about this, but I don't think anyone can act surprised or indignant if other nation states don't like being spied on or hacked. You don't gain the moral high ground by pointing out they didn't ask for our permission to build something in their own borders.

Yes, we spy on other nations, and we probably should; but the consequence of that is that other nations will trust you less when you are caught, and that is just the natural consequence of spying.

As a signatory to the NPT, which has been ratified by the United States and is therefore law, Iran is legally entitled to have a nuclear energy program.

It's not particularly easy to tell facilities for making enriched uranium (viable as fuel) from facilities making weapons-grade HEU.

Israel is not a a signer of this treaty, why don't we scold them for their nuclear weapons? Rules/Laws do not apply to nuclear states.

The NPT works the other way around. It is a bargain between the nuclear weapons powers and the non-weapon powers. Non-weapon powers get access to civilian nuclear technology and know-how in exchange for a promise (and safeguards) to not develop weapon systems. Additionally weapon powers agree to negotiate towards an end to all nuclear weapons (but in a very woolly, no real commitment kind of way).

Non signers get no access to any technology or know-how from signers but are free to act as they please. Israel, Pakistan and India all fall into this category. They can act as they please.

The west scolds iran for not adhering to the npt that they signed. What treaty in this regard did israel sign that they dont adhere to?

"which has been ratified by the United States and is therefore law"

Oh is that how it works...

What I meant was:

1. US law provides for ratified treaties to have the same force as federal law (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_Clause) 2. The US and Iran have both ratified the NPT 3. The NPT guarantees the rights of signatories to establish peaceful nuclear programs 4. It's therefore, in theory, illegal under US federal law (which of course, at least applies to US persons) to interfere with the establishment of a peaceful Iranian nuclear program.

The practice of course, differs greatly from the theory. This is because, as per usual, law is more about politics than law.

Sure it is: anytime you enrich uranium beyond 5%, you're trying to make a bomb.

Iran was proudly announcing enriching over 60%, which is the highest amount anyone, anywhere, ever, needs to do (60% is for neutron-optimized research reactors).

Not to sound snarky but Saddam was boasting sitting on an arsenal of WMDs before the world found out there was zero truth to it. That's why UN inspections are used, however effectively, you just can't rely on Government propaganda to establish facts.

> which has been ratified by the United States and is therefore law

Iran is a sovereign nation. The US signing a treaty has no bearing on them unless they sign it too.

Iran signed the NPT as well, meaning they are supposed to abide by its rules.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com