Personal feelings about the threat of nuclear war?

Question

What does this capability of destruction say about the human race, if anything? Are our efforts to contain the threat good enough or realistic enough? If all you have to say is the obvious points that it’s awful and people shouldn’t behave this way, then don’t reply please.

Answer 1

It is still such a threat. The 'official' nuclear countries (including the US and the UK) made a contract with the non-nuclear countries - the Non-Proliferation Treaty - and their part of the bargain was that they would work towards getting rid of their nuclear stockpiles. They haven't done so - and then they critisise other countries for breaking their side of the bargain too, and going nuclear.

Don't get me wrong - I really, really, really don't want to see states like North Korea and Iran have an ever-expanding nuclear arsenal, I really don't. But in moral terms, they are just going the same way the nuclear five have gone.

I think we should pour expertise and money into verification and enforcement, and hold all countries to the same standard.

Answer 2

To suggest that nuclear weapons make you fearful, then their non-use and potential utility have made them effectual as a weapon of peace. Yes, the U.S. used them in war with the explicit purpose of ending a war and saving a horrendous number of further war deaths and casulaties.

I once read that the U.S. in using nuclear weapons on Japan prevented a possible one million American lifes and countless casualites which would have resulted if the mainland of Japan was invaded. The range of Japanese deaths were calculated to be 5 - 20 times as much. No matter which choice, people had to die: looked at in a positive methodology, the use of those weapons saved lifes and perhaps millions.

To put this into proper context, the U.S. in World War Two lost some 337,000 lifes in a war of two separate theatres of war. And, that from December 7th, 1941 to August 15,1945. The U.S. loss another 130,000 soldiers in the year after VJ Day 0815-1945, I hope you remember that the next time you read the casuality figures coming out of Iraq (2,800 in 5 years).

I am rather amazed that you are more fearful of the weapon of choice rather than those who would use the weapon. If history has taught us nothing, it has taught us beware the perpetrator of aggression and hostilities. As an example of such thought, the idiot who wants to band firearms from everyone belies the fact the focus should be on the user and not on the weapon of choice. It goes something like this, you want to know fear, understand this, "who ever told you I needed a gun (any thing you can thing of) to kill you? I am not fearful the tool, I am fearful of the person using the tool.

In contrast to that, today we are faced from nations like Iran, Iraq and North Korea, who would consider and would use those weapons to blackmail the world to their barbarism. Irresponsible in their actions, terrorist activities, warring on their neighbors, and then let them have weapons of mass destruction - to do anything to benefit their war like and war sounding is nothing but paying them blackmail. And, like any black mailer, pay once and they will again return making greater threats and demands.

If war is what they want, give them a war, let it last 18 minutes, and whenever it is over, they will never want to play war again - that is if anyone of them is left. And you, and the rest of the world can relish the peace thereafter and perhaps feel at bit safer.

Go watch the movie 'The Day the Earth Stood Still', it might help your thinking on this issue.

It is my personal opinion, I am ashamed we have these weapons and don't use them to make it a peaceful world. Just imagine telling a nation like Iran that they have exactly 72 hours to give up "all" their weapons of war and that a single incident of hositility generated by them toward another nation after those 72 hours, their nation will be wiped off the face of the earth. One way or the other, in my world there would be peace.

If you are one of those people that detest violence and killing, the way I look at it: Don't ask me to step forward to save your sorry a** when the aggression and hostility reaches your front door.

Answer 3

Not too probable, unless that guy in the white house gets even more crazy. Things might change after next week if the peacemakers gain in the election, and maybe they'll be able to rein him in a bit.

Answer 4

I hate the fear. My son may be drafted one day.
The logic to it is, though, that anything man can create to set off the balance of nature, nature will ultimately set aright.
Nuclear war would put us nicely in our place.
I hope everyone I know and love has lived and died before it happens, don't get me wrong.

Answer 5

I didn't there was anyone who was still scared of nuclear conflict. Personally, I couldn't care less. If it comes, it comes. BFD.