We cannot have unstable regimes get their hands on nuclear material. Islamo Fascist jihadis armed with nuclear devices cannot be allowed to run around the world killing thousands in a blink of an eye. It seems the world owes Israel some thanks for stopping one such effort by apparently destroying a nuclear plant in the progress of being built in Syria – possibly with help from North Korea:

Israel’s air attack on Syria last month was directed against a site that Israeli and American intelligence analysts judged was a partly constructed nuclear reactor, apparently modeled on one North Korea has used to create its stockpile of nuclear weapons fuel, according to American and foreign officials with access to the intelligence reports.

The description of the target addresses one of the central mysteries surrounding the Sept. 6 attack, and suggests that Israel carried out the raid to demonstrate its determination to snuff out even a nascent nuclear project in a neighboring state. The Bush administration was divided at the time about the wisdom of Israel’s strike, American officials said, and some senior policymakers still regard the attack as premature.

Actually I find the timing perfect and a reasonable signal to send. Build an unauthorized and monitored nuclear facility and it will be destroyed. Those nations that have demonstrated half a century or more of responsible use of nuclear technology DO have some moral authority to control the access to such dangerous technology. Russia, the EU and the US have developed ways for nuclear power to be made available to any nation by retaining control over the nuclear material involved. That allows access to the benefits of nuclear power and walls off access to the destructive power. And yes, given this technology’s ability to destroy enforcing that restriction by force is reasonable.

After all, we can use lethal force when people raise a firearm, even without evidence of intent. It would seem reasonable to use lethal force if a nation raises what is in essence a nuclear weapon to the rest of the world as well. There are ways to access nuclear power’s benefits for any nation. Because of that fact lethal force is clear when those options are openly ignored.

Side note – we have more people leaking classified information to the media in order to play politics:

The target of the Israeli raid and the American debate about the Syrian project were described by government officials and nongovernment experts interviewed in recent weeks in the United States and the Middle East. All insisted on anonymity because of rules that prohibit discussing classified information. The officials who described the target of the attack included some on each side of the debate about whether a partly constructed Syrian nuclear reactor should be seen as an urgent concern, as well as some who described themselves as neutral on the question.

That sounds like a lot of people yacking to get numerous voices with various positions. When will the leaking end?