Who Gets Nuclear Weapons and Who Doesn't?

     Ever since the US and the Soviet Union began the arms race, starting in the late 1940s, it was a race to the top (or bottom, depending on the view) in amassing enough lethal weaponry to eliminate virtually every living thing on earth. It was the "good guys" versus the "bad guys". In time, the UK and France, being "friendlies", got their own and China, not a "friendly", began developing and storing world-ending munitions. But there was no one to tell those parties they weren't allowed such destructive power. A Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was implemented in 1970, a kind of word-of-honor but not a law. Eventually, dirt-poor nations like India, and Pakistan ("friendlies) began nuclear testing. Pakistan's argument for such an arsenal was that India was engaged in developing them. Though there was some condemnation of India's and Pakistan's decision, it was not critical enough to stop them with Pakistan becoming a nuclear player. And remember, they are "friendlies".
     But now Iran and, to a lesser degree, North Korea, have entered into the fray. A hypocritical global community parades its indignation, throws up its hands in fear and anger and demands...demands!, that these two nations cease and desist in their attempts to achieve nuclear weapons. They are, after all, part of the "bad guy" league and to have the temerity to want WMDs is unthinkable. Economic sanctions  have been heaped on Tehran and Pyongyang. But a self-righteous world, and the US in particular, neglects one very important point...Iran and North Korea, not part of the NPT, are sovereign nations and answer to nobody in wanting what they believe benefits them the most. The international outcry is based on the view that these nations can't be trusted to possess WMD. Whether they are trustworthy or not is irrelevant. They have as much right as the next guy to endanger every man, woman and child on this planet. Israel is reputed to have many nuclear devices, and in its paranoia, last year threatened unilateral action (nuclear?) if Tehran did not 'cease and desist'. Now who can't be trusted? Israel's cavalier and "damn the rest of the world" mentality is far more dangerous than Iran's moronic threats and potential development of nuclear weapons.
     All concerned, including Israel, must be warned by the three world powers in no uncertain terms that ANY use of nuclear weapons will result in swift and devastating retribution. It must be made clear to that nation that if it takes a nuclear shot, it had better make it a good one because it won't get another.
     Virtually every member of the United Nations through the decades shoulders some responsibility for the predicament mankind faces with regards to nuclear devastation. Picking and choosing who can now have them won't resolve the dilemma. We had better get used to it.