An Unhelpful Double Standard

By Cernig

Just a couple of weeks ago, the general in charge of the Bush adminsitration's missile shield program was in Europe telling Czechs that Iran's ballistic missile testing program proved they were a threat to world stability. It was mostly hype. This week Pakistan tested a ballistic missile able to carry one of the nuclear warheads that nation is known - not suspected - to possess. The Bush administration's reaction showed their double standards - demonizing Iran while giving several free passes to other nations with provably worse records on proliferation and secret nuke building who just happen to be allies.

The United States has said that there’s nothing alarming about Pakistan’s latest missile test but urged all countries in the region to observe their international obligations.

“We’ve seen those reports that the Pakistanis have tested a missile. This I understand is a system as reported that has been tested previously,” State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said.

“Certainly, again, we want all countries to comply with their international obligations and would not want to see anything done that would destabilise the region,” he said.

Mr Casey maintained that the missile test was “not unique and has, in fact, happened before”.

While the US continues to fail to hold itself and its allies - especially those with highly questionable histories - to a different standard on issues like proliferation, democracy, human rights, backing for terrorism and foreign meddling - it cannot hold any high ground in the world forum. That's an utterly counterproductive obstruction to successful foreign policy and must change.