Originally posted by Tarlam!
We've given nuclear technology to other countries (friends and enemies alike). I don't have time to research all the timelines of the past century but a quick search found the US gave/sold IRAN a nuclear reactor in the 60s and blueprints for a 'firing set' from a former Russian scientist at Clinton and the CIA's bidding in 2000. In '05 we gave India civilian nuclear technology (to hasten their rise to global power to counteract China). In '78 we almost did the same for Egypt but they rejected the oversight requirements.
The United Kingdom tested its first nuclear weapon ("Hurricane") in 1952, drawing largely on data gained while collaborating with the United States during the Manhattan Project. Its program was motivated to have an independent deterrent against the USSR, while also remaining relevant in Cold War Europe
In fact, the US has offered nuclear assistance numerous times - with a caveat of full disclosure of international monitoring and signing the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. The Atoms for Peace program launched by U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower in 1953. As soon as the U.S. Atomic Energy Act was passed in 1954 (which allowed the U.S. authorities to enter cooperative arrangements with other countries).
Tar, I've stated pretty plainly that I don't think terrorists or rouge gov't should have nukes. I'm fine w/ any sane country, willing to be monitored, having nukes as the remnants would trace the weapon to country of origin - and without theft or fraud would lead to an immediate response by one of the 7,000+ nukes the US maintains. I'm questioning now the relevance of the NNPT and IAEA.
Interesting read from LA Times today:
Some excerpts:
Countries that had nuclear weapons when the treaty went into effect  the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China  were allowed to keep them, whereas others were asked to forswear them.
The "haves" made the commitment to reduce and eventually eliminate their arsenals, and the "have-nots" agreed not to seek atomic weapons as long as they could have the advantages of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, was put in charge of making sure countries refrained from taking steps toward making fissile material suitable for bombs. But the treaty, in effect, permitted any country that wanted nuclear weapons capability to go down that road.

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