About nookelar profileration
I posted Friday about the glimmer of a "Kerry Doctrine" for national defense, in which I pointed out that Kerry included a single line about nuclear proliferation in his DNC speech. He said,

We need to lead a global effort against nuclear proliferation - to keep the most dangerous weapons in the world out of the most dangerous hands in the world.

That's funny, I thought we already had such an effort ongoing, called the Proliferation Security Initiative. Perhaps Kerry isn't aware of it, but I suspect he is. He would rather try sell the stale claim the we are "going it alone" rather than admit we have formed an alliance to pursue those groups actively searching for nuclear weapons. And, by the way, the PSI includes FRANCE. That should satisfy Kerry, shouldn't it? After all, we should obtain France's approval for tactics when it comes to fighting the War on Terror, right?

The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) is a response to the growing challenge posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems, and related materials worldwide. The PSI builds on efforts by the international community to prevent proliferation of such items, including existing treaties and regimes. It is consistent with and a step in the implementation of the UN Security Council Presidential Statement of January 1992, which states that the proliferation of all WMD constitutes a threat to international peace and security, and underlines the need for member states of the UN to prevent proliferation. The PSI is also consistent with recent statements of the G-8 and the European Union, establishing that more coherent and concerted efforts are needed to prevent the proliferation of WMD, their delivery systems, and related materials. PSI participants are deeply concerned about this threat and of the danger that these items could fall into the hands of terrorists, and are committed to working together to stop the flow of these items to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern.

In September 2003, 11 countries -- Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States -- agreed to and published the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles. Since then, many more countries have endorsed the Principles. This set of principles identifies specific steps for effectively interdicting WMD shipments and preventing proliferation facilitators from engaging in this deadly trade. Participation in the PSI is voluntary. PSI partners encourage all states to publicly support the PSI, and to take the steps outlined in the principles, including steps in support of PSI operational activities. Support for the PSI is an acknowledgment of the need for stronger measures to defeat proliferators through cooperation with other countries.