Pope Francis and the nuclear powers are at odds over nukes.
To ban or not to ban?
Francis says ban all nukes.
He made his view plain in a message read this week at the “United Nations conference aimed at negotiating a legally binding instrument on the prohibition of nuclear weapons, leading to their total elimination.”
The nuclear powers have boycotted the conference. They include Russia, India, China, Japan and Pakistan.
The UK, US and France are opposed to the idea of a nuclear ban. They are at the conference, fighting for their perspective.
U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who is leading opposition to the ban, said of the conference’s purpose “you have to ask yourself, are they looking out for their people?
“Do they really understand the threats that we have? Our job is to protect the people in our country.”
Haley said while she’d like to see a world without nuclear weapons, it wasn’t a realistic aim.
The Holy See admits its goal is a “demanding” and “forward-looking” one.
Speaking on Francis’s behalf at the conference, Msgr. Antoine Camilleri said if the main threats to a peaceful, secure society are taken into account …
“… not a few doubts arise regarding the inadequacy of nuclear deterrence as an effective response to such challenges.”
He noted these combined with the “catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences” that would follow the use of nuclear weapons make the goal a moral and ethical necessity.
Source
- CNA
- Nikkei Asian Review
- EconoTimes
- Scroll.In
- Crux
- Image: Planet Deadly
