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Britain
Will Use Nuclear Weapons Against “Rogue States”: Hoon
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| Hoon
threatens to use nukes against what he called “rogue
states” |
LONDON,
March 21 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – British Defense
Secretary, Geoff Hoon, warned Wednesday that London was prepared to
use nuclear weapons against the four countries identified by the
U.K. as "states of concern" - Iraq, Iran, Libya and North
Korea, if they ever used "weapons of mass destruction"
against British troops in the field.
"They
can be absolutely confident that in the right conditions we would be
willing to use our nuclear weapons," Defense Secretary Geoff
Hoon said, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
Hoon
also told the British parliamentary defense committee whom he was
addressing that the possibility of so-called “terrorists”
acquiring weapons of mass destruction was a cause for "real
anxiety" and something "we would have to guard against
very seriously".
Britain's
nuclear arsenal may not be enough to deter dictators like Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein from targeting the country with weapons of
mass destruction, Hoon warned.
He
told the MP’s that there was a prospect that some "states of
concern" -- such as Iraq or Libya -- "might be capable of
targeting the UK" within a few years' time.
His
comments came as evidence during the committee's inquiry into
controversial U.S. plans for a missile defense system to protect
against a ballistic missile attack.
Hoon
reaffirmed that, as yet, the government had not decided whether to
back such a system as it had not received any firm proposal from the
U.S.
"Although
the Cold War is over, we face new, emerging threats. It is right
that we consider all possible elements of a comprehensive
strategy," he said.
"There
are clearly some states who would be deterred by the fact that the
UK possesses nuclear weapons and has the willingness and ability to
use them in appropriate circumstances, " he told the Commons
defence select committee.
"States
of concern, I would be much less confident about.
"Saddam
Hussein has demonstrated in the past his willingness to use chemical
weapons against his own people.
"In
those kinds of states, the wishes and needs and interests of
citizens are clearly much less regarded, and we can not rule out the
possibility that such states would be willing to sacrifice their own
people to make such a gesture."
He
added: "They can be absolutely confident that in the right
conditions we would be willing to use our nuclear weapons.
"What
I can not be absolutely confident about is whether or not that would
be sufficient to deter them from using a weapon of mass destruction
in the first place."
Of
the four "states of concern" identified by the U.K., Hoon
said North Korea appeared closest to developing intercontinental
ballistic missiles.
There
was no evidence of a direct threat to the U.K. from North Korea, he
said.
But,
he added: "Their threat is a threat to the stability of the
world because they are clearly very determined to sell their
equipment to anyone who has the cash to buy it."
Hoon
also singled out Libya as a cause for concern.
"I
am sure Libya has an aspiration to develop a weapon of mass
destruction and, equally, would like to purchase the necessary
technology to allow it to deliver it.
"That
conjunction is something we keep a close eye on."
According
to the BBC’s online news service, Hoon said he still considered
Iraq the greatest threat the U.K. currently faced.
But,
he stressed there were no states - to the government's knowledge -
that had both the intention and the ability to launch an attack
against the UK.
Hoon
refused to be drawn on the extent of U.K. involvement in the
development of the U.S. missile defense - or son of Star Wars -
system.
In
a statement, he told the committee: "We have so far received no
requests for from the United States for the use of sites in the U.K.
for missile defense purposes.
"We
do not know exactly what might be involved in any such requests nor
when they might be made.
"If
we are asked to make such a decision we will of course do so on the
basis of our own national interest."
He
said that would include the U.K.'s own national security, which
includes the "security interests of our closest ally".
"The
U.S. has made clear that it wants to see territory of its friends
and allies protected from emerging missile threats.
"It
has not yet said how this might be achieved. We are ready to engage
positively in a dialogue on that question."
According
to the BBC, his comments are likely to been seen as part of a
"softening up" process to prepare the ground for Britain
to accept the U.S. plans -- which could cover Europe -- once they
come forward with definite proposals.
Much
opinion here remains deeply opposed to the scheme, fearing it could
trigger a new arms race.
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