Mr Dyer’s feature article in last Friday’s Cyprus Mail raises a crucial subject. There is nothing more important in politics than the endeavour to limit nuclear proliferation.
His criticism of the coalition’s invasion of Iraq is valid. The grounds for the invasion, the assertions that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction made by President Bush and Prime Minister Blair and Ministers were exaggerated and wrong. Now, Mr Dyer says, public opinion is being softened up for an invasion of Iran by the Americans or their proxies, the Israelis. We should not make the same mistake again, he says.
Would an invasion of Iran be a mistake? Mr Dyer does not mention the fact that the Iranians are enriching uranium (the prerequisite of building an atomic bomb), testing triggers for a bomb, developing a missile capable of delivering. The context is that the Iranian leadership has stated its intention to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.
Within 12 months the facilities for the assembly of a bomb will be in secure underground places. A pre-emptive strike would not succeed.
Four times international sanctions have been used against Iran to act as a deterrent to this progress. They have failed. Inspectors from the United Nations Atomic Agency have been banned. There can be only one reason. Iran knows there would be international outrage at the discovery that the building of a bomb was fact not speculation
Perhaps the publicity for a potential invasion of Iran is all just part of a war of nerves. My fear is that the possession of weapons normally leads, sooner or later, to their use. If Israel believes she is in danger of annihilation she will attack.
If Iran possesses a nuclear weapon, other nations will surely follow her example. The prospect of further nuclear proliferation is dreadful.
Maybe Mr Dyer is right. Maybe a preventative strike on Iran would be folly. Then what is the alternative? To date international negotiations by a group of nations including the UK has had no success, nor have sanctions. It would be good if Mr Dyer would tell us what he thinks should be done, or attempted, to prevent a potential conflict. Cyprus is close enough geographically to be affected by any consequences.
Sir Edward du Cann,
Lemona village, Paphos
