Why do some countries feel they’re entitled to hold nuclear weapons and others can’t?

[Changingplace]

Considering the USA is the only country ever to have used a nuclear weapon on war, why do some countries consider themselves entitled to them and others not?

Especially considering the more recent instability of the US, much as I might not agree with the politics of countries who don’t hold them/are stopped from developing them, surely they’re within their rights to be able to defend themselves in the same way as anyone else?

Again, there is currently no evidence whatsoever.
it is only the word of Israeli regime (committing war crimes as per ICC) and the mad Trump (do I need to say something?) and we know how reliable these two are.
In fact, if these two were coming after me, i would tear NPT myself and buy Chinese-make nuclear weapons pronto.

Because some countries are so backwards that they still murder gay people, don't see women as equal to men, and follow a deranged ideology that would mean 'mutually assured destruction' is a promise rather than a deterrent.

And that's why we don't let them have the big toys, because they can't play nicely.

Possibly but both India and Pakistan have nukes and yet there is conflict. I think the fear is that some states seem to be more likely to end up with a deranged religious fanatic near a button.

The first breach was known in 2019 when stockpile limits were breached. Confirmation of enrichment exceeding agreed limits has been known since January 2021.

So you are indeed standing with George Bush’s ‘You are either with us or not. Say yes or no’ logic.
Why are so against anyone talking about investigating Israel for nukes? What do you think they are hiding? If hiding nothing, why not invite international bodies to investigate? Oh wait, their army is directly firing on international diplomats from Western countries. What will they do with investigators trying to find nukes on their land?

George Bush logic, to answer a closed question with yes or no?

Okay, I'm out. Best of luck to anyone who's listening to the nonsense you are spouting

UN watchdog said it wasn’t complying.

These countries do not have war criminal commuting genocide and leading their people and armies into a conflict that will likely result in their enemies getting nukes via back channels.
I am likely mixing Iran and Israel here but you get my point I am sure.

Kelsey Davenport, director for non-proliferation policy at the US-based Arms Control Association, said Israel's prime minister "did not present any clear or compelling evidence that Iran was on the brink of weaponizing".

I thought it was partly historic, isn’t Germany prohibited from having them from WW2? Then the former Soviet Union countries gave them up in exchange for promises of protection from the U.S.

Ideally I don’t think anyone should have them but probsbly a bad idea to give them up whilst other countries retain their wmd.

And leader of Russia and in fairness Israel

The agreements made were built on tangible limitations that has been breached, investigated and know. Mobilising to become a nuclear power involves a lot of steps and ones which are increasingly being breached and have been for years now...but hey, a new treaty, look over there, that'll fix it 🙄

Some seem adamant that there's unfairness and we should allow everyone including Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

If they are posting for the safety of the UK then I think it's madness and it's a no thanks from me, we do actually have hostile states against us.

but you have not answered my question: why should we not investigate Israel? What are they hiding?
We know Iran is likely hiding something but this attack has made sure they have a justification to throw NPT out of the window.

whose interests does this serve?
whose weapons are happily being sold to be used in this war and hefty profits made? Whose taxpayer money is being used to support Israel and who is supplying weapons to Iran?

Yeah the USA has behaved appalling so we should definitely let the mad mullahs have a nuke 🙄

This is a really good article - thanks for the link.

I believe all nuclear weapons must be removed from the world (I am sure scientists can find a way to do so if the will is there).
But with mad men ruling the US, Russia, Israel and Iran, it is a very distant possibility and nearly never gonna happen.

That's irrelevant to the point, and the post I originally answered, which was to say that you are dreaming to think that investigations in Iran would make a blind bit of difference because we have had investigations and breaches are known and it hasn't stopped a thing.

You might be interested in disrupting my point by demanding that my point be turned to Israel. But it isn't. It's simply to point out the fallacy that you can keep Iran in line with investigations.

The nuclear bomb is now 80 year old technology. An awful lot of countries could develop it if they wanted to.

Personally I think stopping a death cult from becoming a nuclear power is job one and peace on earth and let's get rid of all the nukes in the style of Miss World comes later.

When hopefully cholesterol has done its job, we might see sense prevail again. Until then, Israel’s stupidity and aggression has given Irani regime a logic to spend their poor people’s money on China/Russia made whatever sort of bombs they can be their hands on.
Just as U.K. and USA are happily accepting the money of Israeli public to sell weapons to Israel.
It’s all about money.

We're currently experiencing the worst thing that could happen? Worse than if Iran had nuclear weapons?

Iran were on the negotiation table with Obama till Trumpy showed up.
Israel on the other hand is being run by war criminals so neither side can be trusted now.

You are obviously sexist in this post. I don’t think you care though.

and no, war criminal regimes obsessed with land grab like the Israelis cannot be trusted to spread world peace.
This must be done by international bodies and the ICC and the United Nations.

Israel is entirely right to be doing this. The impact on the middle east of a Irans behaviour has been appalling. It’s hard to estimate how many are dead specifically because of Iran but they have meddled in or attacked through proxies. Why do you think so many arab countries are quietly allowing them to use their airspace?

Lebanon
Yemen
Syria
Bahrain
saudi
the emirates.
Iraq

thats just off the top of my head. There is no equivalence with Israel here.

They also manufacture their own weapons, Iranians are smart people with donkeys for leaders.