Give up the nukes

[DanTheFoxBhoy]

The mayor of Hiroshima called for a "nuclear-free world" yesterday:

http://www.dawn.com/2006/08/07/top12.htm

I assume if you're a country like America, you want nukes as some kind of insurance policy and think you won't use them offensively.

Problem is that America has already shown its cards with Iraq - if you can go to war on piss poor intelligence to look for nukes that don't exist, how long is it going to be before they get the fear up em and nuke Iran, using so-called preventative action as an excuse?

America should lead the charge and drop its nuclear program.

[Deathside]

America should lead the charge and drop its nuclear program.

It should but you know it won't

[l444ry]

That's a difficult argument now Dan. I was a member of CND and totally against Nuclear Power also, therefore no right wing apologist. The whole concept of nuclear weapons was that anyone would have be mad to use them, therefore they would never be used and consequently that they were a "deterrent". I never bought into that argument.

Today, however, we have a different situation. A strand of Islam has clearly demonstrated that they are mad with it's lack of respect for human life, not least their own. That much is self evident. If some of these lunatics had nuclear weapons whilst America, for instance, relinquished theirs I dread to think what might result.

[Dr The Singh]

That's a difficult argument now Dan. I was a member of CND and totally against Nuclear Power also, therefore no right wing apologist. The whole concept of nuclear weapons was that anyone would have be mad to use them, therefore they would never be used and consequently that they were a "deterrent". I never bought into that argument.

Today, however, we have a different situation. A strand of Islam has clearly demonstrated that they are mad with it's lack of respect for human life, not least their own. That much is self evident. If some of these lunatics had nuclear weapons whilst America, for instance, relinquished theirs I dread to think what might result.

I sort of agree with you l44ry, with nations such as North Koria and Iran on verge of nuclear discovery, no nation would be willing to relinquish!!!

[Nebdingo]

America wouldnt even sign the policy to reduce greenhouse gasses. so the chances of it giving up nukes are nil.

[DanTheFoxBhoy]

That's a difficult argument now Dan. I was a member of CND and totally against Nuclear Power also, therefore no right wing apologist. The whole concept of nuclear weapons was that anyone would have be mad to use them, therefore they would never be used and consequently that they were a "deterrent". I never bought into that argument.

Course I see where you're coming from - but someone needs to lead the charge, and it's seen as widely hypocritical by the Muslim world that the US and Israel can have nukes but no one else can.

As for nuclear power, I don't consider arguments of proliferation related to the argument at all - I'm an advocate for the use of nuclear power for domestic electricity for environmental and scientific purposes, as long as no one's bombing each other with it. If they want to they're going to do it anyway, so shouldn't disarmament be separate from domestic energy?

[l444ry]

Course I see where you're coming from - but someone needs to lead the charge, and it's seen as widely hypocritical by the Muslim world that the US and Israel can have nukes but no one else can.

As for nuclear power, I don't consider arguments of proliferation related to the argument at all - I'm an advocate for the use of nuclear power for domestic electricity for environmental and scientific purposes, as long as no one's bombing each other with it. If they want to they're going to do it anyway, so shouldn't disarmament be separate from domestic energy?

It's not ideal, heaven knows. But we are where we are and cannot disinvent the bloody things. If Israel did not have these obscene weapons there is no doubt in my mind that they would have been "pushed into the sea" by now. Also, there is no way Iran will ever be allowed to own nuclear weapons, whatever their lunatic leader may profess.

[Dr The Singh]

It's not ideal, heaven knows. But we are where we are and cannot disinvent the bloody things. If Israel did not have these obscene weapons there is no doubt in my mind that they would have been "pushed into the sea" by now. Also, there is no way Iran will ever be allowed to own nuclear weapons, whatever their lunatic leader may profess.

I wouldn't have an issue with Iran having nuclear fuel, regulated and maintained by another nation, for eg Russia, who have opffered to instalm and maintain such facilities and hence such facilities would only be used for energy not weapons, but this has been turned down by Iran, fueling there motives for nuclear weapons!!!

[Thracian]

That's a difficult argument now Dan. I was a member of CND and totally against Nuclear Power also, therefore no right wing apologist. The whole concept of nuclear weapons was that anyone would have be mad to use them, therefore they would never be used and consequently that they were a "deterrent". I never bought into that argument.

Today, however, we have a different situation. A strand of Islam has clearly demonstrated that they are mad with it's lack of respect for human life, not least their own. That much is self evident. If some of these lunatics had nuclear weapons whilst America, for instance, relinquished theirs I dread to think what might result.

Dan's sentiments are right enough but the reality is exactly as you say. And there are other problems waiting in the wings.

Sooner or later mankind will regret that the obscenity of the nuclear bomb was ever invented but it isn't going away and while I'd love to see people abandon all forms of warfare it appears that it's part of our programming judging by history so far.

Only some consensual form of World Government might offer hope but that's about as likely as City going through the season with one defeat.

[Daggers]

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.

~ Asimov

[lookwhaticando]

There's some nutcases in the world who'd arm themselves up the eyes even if the rest of the world had not even a single pistol between them.

The people who think that having major nuclear players like Britian, Russia and the US give up their nukes would lead to worldwide peace and harmony need their heads checking.

A deterrent such as nuclear capabilities isn't always desirable, but necessary really.

Losing a few nukes wouldn't be a bad idea, but there's no way the major first world nuclear powers should completely surrender their weapons just yet, if ever.

[Ultra]

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.

~ Asimov