U.S. on Nuclear Arms Control

Robert Scheer is correct in stating that the United States has zero credibility in urging other nations not to develop and deploy nuclear weapons (“Do As We Say, Not As We Do,” Commentary, March 28). Scheer, however, fails to explain why India and Pakistan refused to sign the nuclear test ban treaty. He implies that the reason is that the U.S. Senate failed to ratify the treaty last year.

When the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty was first proposed, Egypt threatened to refuse to sign the agreement unless Israel did. The U.S. government threatened to cancel foreign aid unless Egypt signed on. Egypt capitulated. The U.S. government made no such similar threat against Israel. That is the hypocrisy that encourages India and Pakistan to ignore U.S. pleadings on nuclear weapons.

The U.S. demands the right to inspect North Korean nuclear sites but ignores the Israeli nuclear facility, Dimona. Until international inspectors inspect Dimona, do not expect the international community to heed American pleadings.

ARCH MILLER

Arcadia

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So, Scheer tells us that we should simply abolish nuclear weapons for the security of the world as we have with biological weapons. What a great idea! After all, the banning of biological weapons has been such a phenomenal success. This would have the same effect, of course, as banning guns. Then only the bad guys will have them. How thoughtful of Scheer.

KIP DELLINGER

Los Angeles