Nuclear Weapons
 

Would you be willing to give up America's nuclear arsenal in exchange for a nuclear weapons free world? Is this something worth striving for?

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

Nuclear free world? :laughing2

Like the Russians would ever give up their nukes. The only people who have ever given them up are the South Africans. Everyone else is trying to get their hands on them.

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

That is a great idea if you want Americia to become a weak nation while others build nuks. Funny thing while Obama was talking about a Nuk free world North Koria was firing off a test rocket. So I'd say now might not be the best time to distroy our nuk's unless you don't mind North Koria pushing us around in 10 years.

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

If you are asking in a purely esoteric "Would you want a pony?" mode: Sure. If it guarranteed a nuclear weapon free world, I would be glad to be rid of our nuclear weapons. Even without nuclear weapons, the US has the most powerful military in the world by a large margin (I believe this to be true - further, without nukes, we could divert those expenses into strengthening our conventional forces even more).

As a practical matter, it's just not going to happen b/c no such guarrantee could ever be given.

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

[quote=JoeRedskin;544175]If you are asking in a purely esoteric "Would you want a pony?" mode: Sure. If it guarranteed a nuclear weapon free world, I would be glad to be rid of our nuclear weapons. Even without nuclear weapons, the US has the most powerful military in the world by a large margin (I believe this to be true - further, without nukes, we could divert those expenses into strengthening our conventional forces even more).

As a practical matter, it's just not going to happen b/c no such guarrantee could ever be given.[/quote]

I agree totally.

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

[quote=JoeRedskin;544175]If you are asking in a purely esoteric "Would you want a pony?" mode: Sure. If it guarranteed a nuclear weapon free world, I would be glad to be rid of our nuclear weapons. Even without nuclear weapons, the US has the most powerful military in the world by a large margin (I believe this to be true - further, without nukes, we could divert those expenses into strengthening our conventional forces even more).

As a practical matter, it's just not going to happen b/c no such guarrantee could ever be given.[/quote]

What he said, with the added comment that as a practical matter this question is absurd.

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

How would we destroy those incoming asteroids?

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

[quote=Schneed10;544177]What he said, with the added comment that as a practical matter this question is absurd.[/quote]

I don't know that the question is absurd but the actual pursuit of such an idealistic endeavor is a colossal waste of time. It simply isn't something that is ever going to happen. Along with eliminating nuclear weapons we'd have to eliminate a vast amount of crazy people who don't follow rules. Or rather we'd have to first figure out how to change basic human nature. In a world where nuclear weapons have not only been thought of, they've been mass produced and even used you can't simply wrangle that genie and stick it back in the bottle when human nature is always going to lead some ne'er-do-well somewhere to break the rules.

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

[quote=Trample the Elderly;544183]How would we destroy those incoming asteroids?[/quote]

Well Bruce Willis has gotten a little old anyways. I don't think he's got the juice to make that happen anymore.

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

[quote=JoeRedskin;544175]If you are asking in a purely esoteric "Would you want a pony?" mode: Sure. If it guarranteed a nuclear weapon free world, I would be glad to be rid of our nuclear weapons. Even without nuclear weapons, the US has the most powerful military in the world by a large margin (I believe this to be true - further, without nukes, we could divert those expenses into strengthening our conventional forces even more).

As a practical matter, it's just not going to happen b/c no such guarrantee could ever be given.[/quote]
I'm not 100% positive but I don't think we are actually building more nuks so our only cost now is keeping up the ones we allready have. I belive more money is spent on finding way to distroy nukes fired at us rather tan build new ones.

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

Well, let's see in the Nuclear free world that included trench warfare of WW1 and firebombing of Dresden in WW2. Nuclear free does not mean war free, and it also means there is no BIG stick to prevent conflicts from escalating. I think it could be debated that the fact that India and Pakistan both have nuclear capabilities has prevented many border skirmishes from escalating.

So I guess that kinda means I am [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutually_assured_destruction"]MAD[/URL]

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

who wouldn't? but this is one thing we will never see, at least in our lifetime. still way too much bullying going on. hell, we cant even sit down and talk to some of the countries that possess nuclear capabilities

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

[quote=FRPLG;544190]I don't know that the question is absurd but the actual pursuit of such an idealistic endeavor is a colossal waste of time. It simply isn't something that is ever going to happen. Along with eliminating nuclear weapons we'd have to eliminate a vast amount of crazy people who don't follow rules. Or rather we'd have to first figure out how to change basic human nature. In a world where nuclear weapons have not only been thought of, they've been mass produced and even used you can't simply wrangle that genie and stick it back in the bottle when human nature is always going to lead some ne'er-do-well somewhere to break the rules.[/quote]

Which is exactly what I meant. From a practical standpoint it's impossible and not worth the time considering.

I'm one of those types that can't see the point in debating the purely hypothetical.

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

[quote=dmek25;544199]who wouldn't? but this is one thing we will never see, at least in our lifetime. still way too much bullying going on. hell, we cant even sit down and talk to some of the countries that possess nuclear capabilities[/quote]
Thats old news now that Obama is in office. I heard he is going to sit down with Iran and he is at Best Buy picking out a gift to take.

Re: Nuclear Weapons
 

[quote=saden1;544165]Would you be willing to give up America's nuclear arsenal in exchange for a nuclear weapons free world? Is this something worth striving for?[/quote]

No. You can't trust nations like Iran, North Korea, China, the new Soviet Union, Cuba, Venezuela and any nation where militant Islams reside (ex: Taliban) that can sway/intimidate Governments.

The President's hope is a noble one, in a perfect world it would be great.

However, it's naive and unrealistic. If our nuclear arsenal is dismantled, we're all going to die, guaranteed.