Why can the US have weapons of mass destruction, but nobody else can?

Question

Cleary, the US is the only remaining super power left in the world. In the forefront of international events, Korea and Iran (among other nations) are talking about their progress in developing nuclear energy and is under considerable scrutiny over weathe or not their intentions are for WMDs, but for energy.

Ronald Reagan and Mikail Gorbachev are commendable in their efforts to reduce their arsenals of nuclear warheads. Why do we now insist on keeping ours, but jump on anyone else who hints at developing such weapons.

Answer 1

Because we're not crazy like North Korea and won't blow up the world.

Answer 2

Many nations have nuclear weapons. It is all a balancing act to keep some measure of stability in the world. For example, the Chinese who are allies of North Korea are the ones who brought North Korea to the table for nuclear talks. They did this because they know that if N. Korea gets nuclear weapons the U.S. would allow if not promote the Japanese and our other South East Asian allies to do so. It is about creating the most stabile situation possible in order to keep us all alive.

Answer 3

Because the responsibility that came with the development of the weapons is very heavy. You don't throw it around casually as we learned over in Japan. Other countries are immature, are in virtually the dark ages. How can they appreciate the gravity of taking human life when little children get assassinated (though the same religion) for being dirty shiites (in Iraq), for not wearing a Burqa (in Afghanistan) or for going against Kim Jung-Il (in Korea)?

The US is right (and so is the entire world, mind you) to limit that country's access to horrible means of quick and expedious destruction.

Answer 4

There's a difference between rational super powers and rogue states and leaders who consider themselves martyrs. The rational super powers abide by the MAD doctrine for nuclear deterrence, even before the Reagan/Gorbachev era. The fallacy of that doctrine will be shown if rogue states become nuclear...sorry.

Answer 5

Gee I don't know, maybe it's because N.Korea has a psychopath running their country, and Iran is unstable and hates America. Also we are not the only country with nuclear capabilities, there are several other countries, and the other countries don't want N. Korea or Iran to have nukes either. Think before you ask stupid questions.

Answer 6

Well, some confusion here. First, the cold war- have you forgotten it? Most of the energy focused into making the big bombs we have today, are a result of that. And it was a good thing we did!! Second, I wouldn't go so far as to base our arsenal of wep's as a ground for saying since we dont want others having them, but will have them ourselves. At the time, we faced mutually assured destruction...and we are here today to discuss it freely- because the big bombs sit....warm 24/7. (to secure peace, prepare for war).
I dont wanna jepordize our kids of tomorro by not caring now who has the power to kill them later...we should use this balance of power we have to curb/deter any threat to our world future now!
Look at Hitler- if we put him into a modern day senario, with technology and tools of today....we would all be having to learn German overnight. ANY viable and rational angle should be considered before one labels what we do and dont allow others to do wrong. I say keep them hot... never know whats coming.

Answer 7

The U.S. is by far not the only nation with nukes. A basic list includes Russia, U.K,, France, China, Israel, India, Pakistan, and now North Korea.

It's just a concept of trust. I trust myself to have a nuke, but I wouldn't trust my neighbour. The problem is that this is an egocentric point of view to base foreign policy on.

Answer 8

Nuclear weapons in the wrong hands - that's a scary thought. The United States at least has checks and balances when it comes to their use. Do you want a nuke dropped in your back yard?

Answer 9

Because Russia kept theirs, India and PAkistan have them, France (almost a muslim country at this point) has them, China has them, Israel has them, and on and on.Having them in large numbers remains the most effective deterrent to having them used against you by another sovereign state.

Answer 10

at the end of WW2 when everyone was being freed, Russia and the US were actually racing to get as many german scientists as they could - russia won the space/rocket thing, and i guess we got the ones who make nuclear weapons

Answer 11

Because US can make and remake and defeat any Government / country in their own Parliament by the natives! Dollar is always mightier, even if it is printed as countefeit and circulated in others land!