If you dont know M.A.D. or Mutual Assured Destruction is the United State's nuclear policy that if one country fired there nukes the other will causing a stalemate in which both countries are destroyed evenly. During the Cold War it was a great policy because it caused the USSR and United States to work things out diplomatically rather than potentially using nukes because both sides did not want themselves demolished (obvoiusly..).
Now I do not think this policy will work against North Korea, and Iran if they do aquire these weapons.
These countries have extremist leaders that would rather see us get destroyed no matter the reprocussions against them.
Do you agree? Do you think in the current state of the world we need to revise our policy?
Thanks.
-Exuse my poor grammer.
2007-01-18 04:30:24 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
Wow, great answers so far, thank you!
jenab6 - i agree
2007-01-18 04:55:15 · update #1
It seems that at this point that there would not be much "mutual" in the mutual assured destruction. If the countries you mentioned started a nuke war, they wouldn't have enough weapons to do a good job on the U.S., while the U.S. has enough firepower to turn both countries into smoking holes in the ground surrounded by radioactive glass.
That is one of the reasons Japan surrendered in 1945. They realized that if they didn't, they would experience complete destruction. let's hope the N.Koreans and the Iranians have read a little bit of history.
2007-01-18 04:40:22 · answer #1 · answered by John H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A preemptive first strike during the Cold War, by either the USA or the USSR, would not have worked because both sides had spy satellites able to detect missile launches. On the other hand, a country with nukes can surprise an enemy that does not have the ability to detect launches quickly and respond in time with a retaliatory nuclear strike. I expect that North Korea and Iran could be both obliterated if one of its nuclear armed enemies attacks first, without any saber-rattling to warn them that something was afoot.
On the other hand, China might avenge Korea, and the terrorists we'd get from destroying Iran would never end. And sooner or later terrorists will get nuclear weapons, either by native engineering, by theft, by purchase, or by gift.
2007-01-18 04:53:37 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree it will not work against Iran ... North Korea on the other hand, MAD is still viable.
MAD will work with Korea because:
1- we have a much larger country to hit, if we both launch missiles at each other ... yes, Korea will hit one or two major cities, but the rest of the USA will remain intact. Korea on the other hand is so small that there is no way for them to survive.
2- we already have operational nukes that can easily hit their country. Korea doesn't have the long range systems operational to guarantee that they can hit us yet.
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When we were dealing with the Russians, there was only a political/social ideological difference. We still had an underlying common footing during diplomatic talks. Basically there was a rationality to life that we could agree on with Moscow.
But with Iran, they view all disagreements through cultural/religious views. While we still view these matters through political lenses. MAD cannot work as long as the other guy already has the mindset that he is going to die anyway.
2007-01-18 04:35:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
How would we revise the policy. One sided changes would not work. NK is run by someone who thinks he's God, kind of hard to talk to him.
The Iran guy seems to think he's Gods rep.
Other than just waking up one day and taking both countries out what other option do we have. That is just a BS option.
2007-01-18 04:38:33 · answer #4 · answered by madjer21755 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are correct.
The problem with Iran, the real terrorists we are fighting in Iraq now, is that they believe that to kill the "Infidels" and also oneself will bring back their God. This "God" will then rule the world under some extreme arm of the Islamic faith casting death upon all non believers.
Oh, and don't forget about the 70 virgins you will get for blowing yourself up on a school bus full of children "Infidels".
How can you really reason with these people? You can't.
2007-01-18 04:41:03 · answer #5 · answered by Dog Lover 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only reason M.A.D work is because both USSR & US people value life.
Iran and North Korea it is cheap. The leaders don't care how many die.
In the case of Iran the more that die for their god the better for him.
2007-01-18 04:35:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Without question, we cannot allow Iran to be nuclear.
NKorea is different in that they are for sale to the highest bidder. Just depends on who courts them.
What about a world policy of "No New Nukes?"
2007-01-18 04:40:19 · answer #7 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋