OUR NUCLEAR WEAPONS FAMILY

Nuclear weapons are too destructive to actually use and too expensive to develop.

The advantage gained by those with nuclear weapons is based upon the assumption that the nuclear weapon possessor will be able to intimidate others with these especially destructive devices. The threat is the annihilation of a city or perhaps a world.

United States nuclear policy has been based on the idea that nuclear weapons can somehow be monopolized by the United States or by those currently holding such weapons. This has proven to be an illusion. Nation after nation has acquired nuclear weapons. Unless a concerted effort is made to ban all nuclear weapons proliferation is likely to continue.

The so called "balance of terror" achieved by adversaries possessing nuclear weapons leaves all parties essentially where they would be if all parties were at peace.

Of course the more nations with nuclear weapons must increase the probability that one of these weapons will be actually detonated on a target.

On the other hand the "balance of terror" does seem to inhibit invasion and enhance respect in some instances. North Korea is one example where the nuclear weapons of this tiny nation has led to some benefits and economic arrangements with the "West". Of course the same results could have been negotiated many years ago and North Korea would not have nuclear weapons. That would have allowed North Korea to divert those resources to economic development, education, health care. Everyone would be better off.

But with the possibility of nuclear tipped missiles from North Korea hitting our West Coast the United States decided to finally negotiate. So the nuclear weapons got North Korea that and all subsequent negotiations.

The nuclear weapons family is growing and will continue to grow until all nations, including the most powerful agree to systematically eliminate nuclear weapons. The exact method of achieving this goal can be developed by all nations involved. [Otherwise I'll present a foolproof method in a later blog entry, ahem.]