UK Secretary of Defence Des Browne addressed the Conference of Disarmament on February 5, announcing the call to fellow nuclear weapon states to send technical experts to a conference in London to discuss how they might cooperate to develop verification methods for future disarmament agreements.
In a particularly interesting paragraph he said:
I have recently reflected that my youthful passion for disarmament originated from a black and white sense of justice, and that I have retained it through the insight that acts of logical self-interest often lead to immense risk and could ultimately lead to the destruction of civilisation. While climate change and other environmental threats arise from our corporate materialistic lifestyles, the threat of nuclear proliferation and Armageddon comes from fear, competition and the quest for power amongst elites. The injustice feels more carnal, the universal threat more outrageous.
Why not, instead, invest in better equipment, pay and conditions for our troops?
What kind of relationship do we want to have with the rest of the world?
The decision to buy a new class of submarines is premature and can be delayed for a decade
There is no need to rush into a decision when there is the option of becoming a virtual nuclear weapon state
The current rush is unnecessary, reduces military flexibility and interoperability with the US, undermines the NPT and stymies an open debate.
Nuclear offer to Iran is vague on incentives and heavy on demands