Submission from Barbara Pope

 

Any discussion leading to agreements in the control and eventual prevention of weapons proliferation must surely begin with the necessity of established legal measures levied by an independent world court to bring to task Governments such as George Bush's and Tony Blair's who, by their arrogance and subsequent illegal actions, have caused the deaths of millions of people, not to mention the disruption of so many lives. They need to face a court and its consequences, as did Saddam Hussein, who was supported by the west for so long!

 

The political hypocrisy, so prevalent during present times, destroys the veracity of the NPT, as western actions have threatened the security and trust in so many other parts of the world. Can one blame others for feeling a dire need to protect themselves?

 

Actions such as the plans to renew Trident laugh in the face of any NPT, particularly Article 6. They hyperbolic semantics used e.g. missile defence interceptors facing Russia, adds to the already prevalent weight of distrust of the west throughout the rest of the world.

 

The so called US missile defence system for which the British Government has allowed the use of Fylingdales and Menwith Hill is, of course, leading to a new arms race. What a mess the west has made of a treaty which, had it been honoured, could have done much to bolster peace in the world, and what a catalogue of failure and mistrust the people have witnessed.

 

Incidentally - why twelve men and only two women on your committee?

 

19 September 2008