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by user_0001 4144 days ago
Which countries did ask permission before starting their nuclear programs?

The countries that have nuclear weapons, who do they ask to be allowed to keep them?

2 comments

Each other and the U.N., sort of... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_on_the_Non-Proliferatio...

Essentially: "no more countries get nukes, those that have them should get rid of them at an unspecified point in the future but get to keep them for now". It is not an ideal solution, nor a particularly fair one, but much better for human survival than "everybody gets a nuke". Unfortunately, it would work better if powerful countries didn't threaten less powerful ones to the point that violating the NPT and getting nukes seems like the only rational response for preserving their own security. Which brings us to why the U.S. unilaterally launching attacks (cyber- or otherwise) against other countries runs counter to non-proliferation goals, whereas coordinated U.N. sanctions/incentives/inspections/interventions have at much better chance of working.

>The countries that have nuclear weapons, who do they ask to be allowed to keep them?

Well, the 5 official Nuclear Weapon States (with capital NWS) asked nicely with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which is signed by just about anyone. Not that there ever was a chance of them just giving up their nuclear weapons, but they did ask and the world said yes.

Yeah. Signed by just about everyone, except for Israel, India and Pakistan.

Funny that this is never mentioned, Iran is an NPT signatory, Israel and India are not. Yet...

The NPT doesn't say that. All nuclear weapon states are bound to seek complete disarmament, verified by the international community.