Iran nuclear conflict: The true context

Finally! A news article from a Western sources that acknowledges that the nuclear issue is really not about weapons but a larger conflict between developing and developed nations over the control of the nuclear fuel production technology:

Nuclear conference criticizes Israeli nukes
By GEORGE JAHN (AP) – Sept 18, 2009

VIENNA — Overriding Western objections, a 150-nation nuclear conference on Friday passed a resolution directly criticizing Israel and its atomic program for the first time in 18 years. Iran hailed the vote as a "glorious moment."

The result was a setback not only for Israel but also for the United States and other backers of the Jewish state, which had lobbied for 18 years of past practice — debate on the issue without a vote. It also reflected building tensions between Israel and its backers and Islamic nations, backed by developing countries...

But Islamic nations insist that Israel is the true danger in the Middle East, saying they fear its nuclear weapons capacity. Israel has never said it has such arms, but is universally believed to possess them.

The Muslim countries enjoy support from the developing world, which is critical of the U.S. and other nuclear weapons nations for refusing to disarm, and suspects that developed nations are trying to corner the market on peaceful nuclear technology to their disadvantage.

I have LONG said that the conflict over Iran's nuclear program is not about "nuclear weapons" but part of a larger conflict between the developing and developed states over the attempts by some countries to monopolize nuclear fuel production technology -- the sole energy source of the near future -- for their own advantage, under the guise of fighting "proliferation".

I have also long criticized the media for buying into and promoting the "nuclear weapons proliferation" framework which the issue is presented by the developed nations, without paying equal attention to the "developed/developing nation" context of the conflict.

So, it is nice to see some articles that address that issue -- though I doubt very much that this report will make it to the cover of the NY Times or will be picked up by the major news publications.