The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > Article Comments > P3 woes > Comments

P3 woes : Comments

By Sue Wareham, published 18/2/2014

France, the US and the UK have a problem. These nuclear-armed 'P3' NATO partners need to persuade the rest of the world not to look too carefully at the weapons that form their own WMD arsenals.

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. All
It is unlikely these conferences will achieve much if the USA, China, France and UK are not attending.

The deterrence argument will continue to hold great sway in those countries with nuclear weapons. Unless they can be absolutely assured that all other countries have given up their nuclear weapons, and that no country will obtain them in future, it is unlikely that the USA or China will give them up. Indeed, it is precisely the horrific magnitude of the devastation that nuclear war could wreak that could make countries inclined to hold on to them. If holding nuclear weapons reduces even slightly the risk of being attacked, it is better to hold them. One could argue, of course, that holding such weapons makes a country more likely to be attacked, not less. But that’s a hard argument to win.

It is also why Sue’s slavery analogy doesn’t hold up. A country that abolishes slavery may suffer some economic disruption, but it does not face annihilation. Both holding nuclear weapons and tolerating slavery may be morally unacceptable, but the reason for doing them are very different.

I don’t know the answer to these dilemmas, but Sue’s optimism seems a bit naïve.
Posted by Rhian, Tuesday, 18 February 2014 2:36:29 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Hi Rhian

I agree that nuclear deterrence makes sense in our imperfect world where Russia, China, North Korea and Pakistan have little regard for Western democracy - and doctors don't call the shots.

However the nuclear disarmament conferences that Sue refers to may well have an impact on the UK. The UK is currently weighing whether its four Trident submarines should be replaced. All of Britain's publically active nuclear weapons are deployed on the Tridents. There's a chance that the Tridents may not be replaced and perhaps lesser options chosen, eg. Britain's SSN's may carry nuclear warheads instead.

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_replacement_of_the_Trident_system

Pete
Posted by plantagenet, Tuesday, 18 February 2014 3:39:39 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
The situation of having a world which can blow itself up many times over is truly bizarre. Only humans could be so stupid!

What is even more bizarre is that the nation which is seeking global domination of all others is the one that is pretending to be the enabler of human rights and freedoms.

It is so close to achieving its imperial objective yet, ironically, it's falling short of the finish line because, like Russia, it went bankrupt engaging in an arms race and too many wars which have weakened it.

Russia and China are the buffer which stops the U.S. from taking the final step: a nuclear war. The U.S. knows that both nations could damage it mortally, despite its great power which, on paper is immense. But in a nuclear war such things count for little.

And as Russia gets more powerful and China outstrips the U.S. in economic and military terms, the world sits in an uneasy balance of sorts with no one prepared to make the first move.

But wait! What about jumping the gun with pre-emptive first strike like what happened in Nagasaki and Hiroshima? Would the Yanks do such a thing?

You bet they would! They've already done it once and they're even more exceptional now!

You ask them! They'll tell you! They're born to rule!
Posted by David G, Tuesday, 18 February 2014 5:18:11 PM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
David G your hatred is showing mate! Not rational at all US bad Communism good! Gee this nonsense takes me back.
Remember David what Teddy Rossevelt said "Speak softly and carry a big stick!"
Nukes are the big stick usually too big to use but good to show.
Posted by JBowyer, Tuesday, 18 February 2014 9:07:24 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
It never ceases to amaze me that people who are pretty bright can be very stupid.

You can't be too dumb, & get through a medical degree, so Sue can't be dumb. However how can anyone think that a major power can ever do away with it's nuclear weapons. It would only require some tin pot middle eastern or Asian country who held a few when the rest of the world had disarmed to control the globe. Hell even a well organized terrorist group could do it

How can anyone with a brain can believe major power could take that risk?

Sue, do try to find some area of effort where your obvious generosity of spirit can be more constructive. What you are doing now is just an exercise for kooks.
Posted by Hasbeen, Tuesday, 18 February 2014 9:51:46 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Bravo Sue and MAPW! Terrific progress. Nuclear weapons have no place in the 21st century and must be banned, in the same way biological and chemical weapons were. As for terrorists getting their hands on small nuclear weapons: the only way to avoid that is to move away from nuclear power as well. Any terrorist with a centrifuge and access to nuclear materials can make a bomb. But that's for later perhaps. What has to happen now is that there is sufficient follow-up to Mexico's conference that we will see an end to national nuclear weapons.
Posted by popnperish, Wednesday, 19 February 2014 5:44:08 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy