Interestingly enough, I spent part of my work day reading about President Obama's plans for America's nuclear program. Aside from simply reducing the number of nuclear warheads, it also states that we would not use nuclear weapons except to defend against those that use nuclear weapons against us. As well as anyone who does not obey the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty, namely Iran and North Korea.
The chief issue I see with this is that now, anyone can decide to spread a deadly disease and we wouldn't be able to retaliate with due force. Its like telling a rapist that you have a gun but won't use it because they don't have one. The entire point of M. A. D. (mutually assured destruction) is to deter any weapon of mass destruction from being used, the bigger the gun, the less you have to use it. Just because Russia and the U.S. sign nuclear treaties doesn't mean the six other nuclear capable nations do, nor does it prevent the development of other non-conventional weaponry. They say it is a step away from Cold War thinking, but if the only countries involved are Russia and the U.S., how different is it?
If, one day, the U.S. and Russia do sign away ALL nuclear weapons, what would the world look like? M.A.D prevented World War III, and when that is gone, what prevents one from starting? I can't imagine it, really, but are we prepared to accept the consequences of a nuclear free world, which is what some people want? Everyone wants to make their mark on the world, and I can't help but wonder what sort of mark I can make when the bombs start falling. Then again I enlisted into the army to defend this country, whatever that may mean. Good luck everyone, we are living history right now, make of it what you can.
