Real progress!

[bozo]

A poll conducted by Guardian/ICM in the UK shows that for the first time in decades, 54% of voters are in favour of scrapping nuclear weapons.
Let us hope the government in the UK and elsewhere take notice.

[Tiberius]

Unfortunately, more than 54% of the government probably disagree...

To be honest, scrapping nuclear weapons is a ridiculous idea. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see a nuke-free world, but it needs to be done slowly. Both America and Russia need to cut back, and we need to make sure that our enemies do not get their hands on them.

I mean, I just wouldn't feel safe if North Korea had nukes and we didn't. If it does come down to nuclear war (and I hope it doesn't), I want to know that we can destroy any country that attacks us.

[Kyuuketsuki]

I don't want to see the nuclear deterrent scrapped any more than I want to see our armed forces financially hamstrung the way they have been by this government and ones before it.

There are a lot of small & developing nations out there developing their own nuclear culpability and all credit to them for doing so (we have it, I don't see why they shouldn't) but, rightly or wrongly (probably the latter), I don't trust some of them to be as restrained or secure as the West and Russia have been (excepting the only two bombs to have been used on real targets as prototypes). I broadly speaking believe in peace through strength, that the world is a safer place when protected by force of arms (and yes I know the pacifists amongst us won't get that).

Then there is the concern about planetary protection ... if a large enough body were found to be heading earthwards nuclear bombs would be an essential consideration for planetary safety. On a similar, more SciFi based, concept I question the apparent general assumption that any visiting aliens (if it ever happens) would be peaceful (I always thought the "come visit us" stuff on Voyager was a bit nuts).

Finally, I believe nuclear weaponry (military) and space research are heavily linked and I believe that space research (the eventual leaving of Earth behind) is essential for future human development.

Kyu

[bozo]

Unfortunately, more than 54% of the government probably disagree...

To be honest, scrapping nuclear weapons is a ridiculous idea. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see a nuke-free world, but it needs to be done slowly. Both America and Russia need to cut back, and we need to make sure that our enemies do not get their hands on them.

I mean, I just wouldn't feel safe if North Korea had nukes and we didn't. If it does come down to nuclear war (and I hope it doesn't), I want to know that we can destroy any country that attacks us.

A flaw in your argument is how do you know that a friend today ( with nuclear weapons )will not be an enemy in the future, armed with those weapons?
Anyway, if it came to a nuclear war, both sides would be destroyed.

---

Another reason why a growing number of people in the UK have fallen out of love with nuclear weapons is the fact that they gobble up vast sums of gdp ( in the hope that they'll never need to be used! ) and that money could be put to better use.

[Tiberius]

Anyway, if it came to a nuclear war, both sides would be destroyed.

Precisely why we need to keep nukes as long as our enemies have them. If we go down, we take them with us.

[bozo]

Anyway, if it came to a nuclear war, both sides would be destroyed.

Precisely why we need to keep nukes as long as our enemies have them. If we go down, we take them with us.

So, despite mutually assured destruction, we are still around. Wait til someone goes for it.

[Purple Rabbit]

Anyway, if it came to a nuclear war, both sides would be destroyed.

Precisely why we need to keep nukes as long as our enemies have them. If we go down, we take them with us.

Well, if the world is precisely split in two opposing camps, perhaps. Of course there are more players in the game. And with more players in the game the result is not that predictable as you suggest. In fact it has been argued that detente is an illusion in these situations. That it will become unstable soon with devastating outcome.

[Rhizomorph13]

We won't all be destroyed. The ones that are left will be horribly mutated; evolution at a rapid rate! If there are any normals left they will probably be bitten and turned by radioactive zombies.

Hopefully mushrooms will become sentient and bring in a new age of reason. Reality, new and improved! Now with more colors!

On a more serious note, I think at some point one country will need to commit to 100% nuclear dissarmament. Betting that everyone else will see that nobody should start a lose/lose scenario is a bad bet. I would hope that the UN would make all WMDs illegal and then activly police the world to assure that the law was followed.

In Rhizoeality all nations economies merge into a world economy and all nations unite into a world governing body, like the UN but with more authority.

The EU is a good example of one step toward unification. There is talk of unifying Canada, U.S., and Mexico. Apparently South America has more fiscal loyalty toward Europe so they would more likely join the EU.

Rhizo

[Purple Rabbit]

In Rhizoeality all nations economies merge into a world economy and all nations unite into a world governing body, like the UN but with more authority.

Then we would have to explore deep space in search for new natural enemies to use our weaponry on. A great stimulation for the NASA program.

[Dotard]

A one world government is the work of the devil!


Big obstacle in obtaining a unified world is those damned christians. They see/believe a one world gummit as part of the anti-christs plans.

They need a us vs. them mentality to survive.

Oh wait, I don't have an advanced degree in theology so I am unqualified to make that statement.