The spread of nuclear weapons - is more better, With reference to the Essay

The spread of nuclear weapons - is more better, With reference to the post-Cold War world, critically discuss the argument that nuclear weapons bring stability - Essay Example However, for the most part, it seems that countries seeking nuclear weapons are looking for safety and security and in some ways it can bring stability to a region where the threat of conventional war is high. It must be noted that the stability brought by nuclear weapons is often a tense stability since nations who have such weapons tout the strategic or defensive capabilities of nuclear arms. That in itself is perhaps a misnomer since these countries maintain that they would only use such weapons if their security is threatened (Paulikas, 2006). In this regard, LaFranchi (2006) suggests that some developed nations can be considered smart enough to possess nuclear weapons with the restraint which comes along with their possession as a responsibility. However, Carter (2006) maintains that those countries which currently have the bomb should not seek to distribute it to others since it would only create higher levels of proliferations and create greater instability. Iran and North Korea are primary examples under the topic since Korea has gone nuclear and shown the world that it does have the power to stand up to America. On the other hand, Iran is actively seeking nuclear weapons and continues to defy international bodies as well as western nations in its search for nuclear armaments (Cortright, 2006). However, the way the case of Iran has been handled by the international community led by the United States is quite different from the case of North Korea (Palmer and Palmer, 2004). It can be shown that while North Korea obtained a higher level of stability through their bomb, Iran’s search for nuclear weapons and the resulting reaction of western nations could destabilise the region tremendously. It seems that the essential difference between Iran and North Korea is seeking and having weapons. Countries which are seeking nuclear technology may be handled differently from those who confess to have it in their arsenal. Kilgore (2007) suggests that Iran