Nuclear Weapons

Are you posting from Washington D.C. right now?

So what do you propose that we do about nuclear weapons?

or was this just a forum for your thoughts on the matter?

No, I just think we should abolish nuclear weapons. These are dirty bombs. It takes years and decade, and centuries to clean up. I think nuclear power plants should be abandoned too. I mean, yes, nuclear fuel is good for our atmosphere, but, they bury that stuff in the ground and if found, could be used. Plus, the stuff they find is a hazard. If accidentally found, it could hurt someone badly.
Also, I think nuclear weapons should be destroyed IN EVERY COUNTRY INCLUDING AMERICA because it does not serve a purpose other than the threat to use them. A few people and I share this same belief and I talked to a person I know, his name is Tom Daschle. He disagrees with me and says that America has nuclear weapons because it not only protects us, but well, let me put it this way.
He said nuclear weapons are like the things that make a man. Nuclear weapons is the pubic hair, muscles, and so on that makes America one of those big boys in the world. Without nuclear weapons, we are nothing. I personally think that was stupid, Daschle said that. I told him that was a stupid explanation. But, maybe that is what the dipcraps on capitol hill think. Maybe the Armed Services Committee thinks that too.
But, we have only used nuclear weapons twice in a time of war. Both on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan. But, no other country has used them in a war. Rumsfeld calls nuclear weapons a last resort in a war. Why? Because the severity and damage these weapons can cause is beyond any of you understand. I have seen pictures, but, to see the aftermath, and the everytihng, it is unimaginable. This weapon can vaporize people and destroy a home and reduce it to ashes in a matter of seconds.
Also, one day, terrorists are going to get a hold of this stuff and cause trouble.
But, Bush and Russian president Vladmir Putin signed a treaty which will reduce the American nuclear arsenal and the russian arsenal to 2,200 bombs by 2012. So, they are working at it. But, will they get rid of every last nuclear missile? We also need to be concerned about other countries too. Like Iran ( supports terrorism, possibility of giving a nuclear bomb to terrorists) and places like India and Pakistan (arch-enemies, could engage in war with nukes) and the posibility of some countries damaging earth.
I beleive these should be abolished as they are a threat to the ecosystem, the planet, mankind,and the area they ignite.
We have come close to nuclear war during the cold war, for it was I and many others ready to invade Russia if nuclear war or some kind of attack was made by Russia on the United States. I never got a chance to go into Russia for battle, but, the threat was real, and the chance was great.
We are still close to nuclear war. We could easily get into a nuclear war tomorrow. The chance is as high as it was in the cold war. I remember, Kennedy had a phone line connecting him to Moscow, and the two presidents Nikita Krushcev and Kennedy were constantly talking.
But, my main point is, nuclear weapons pose a threat to our national security, the earth, the ecosystem, and life as we know it. If these weapons got into the wrong hands, we would all be screwed. If a terrorist organization was supposedly given a nuke by Iran (which is possible) nine out of ten chances, it is America they are going to target.
But, great thing is, Iran does not have the nuclear capabilities to hit us with a warhead. Same with North Korea. North Korea thinks they have a nuke that could hit America, but defense analysts have ruled that they cannot. But that is what I am saying. You got thugs in North Korea and other countries that threaten with nukes, and their dumbass minds actually would like to engage us to see america in peril.
-Lieutenant General

I can't see us ever completely destroying our nuclear arsenal.

To put a similar spin on it as daschle, if he said such a thing, it would emasculate the US.

I don't see it either. We'll always keep enough to destroy the planet. Keeps the sane people in check.

Sane or insane?

The possibility of getting rid of ALL nuclear warheads is so remote that we simply cannot do so .
If only one warhead exists , then we must have the same in our own defense . This is a poor excuse for keeping them , but there it is . The USA simply must protect it's land and people to the fullest extent possible . It is a "catch-22" situation we can't remedy in any feasible manner . We could never get agreement from everyone in the world to destroy them . Look at how long it took to even get the agreements we finally hashed out with Russia . Those were not in our favor at all , and probably never upheld by Russia anyway . That's why there are stockpiles unprotected in Russia still today . The government there never intended to honor those treaties .

Our efforts to keep totalitarian and extremist regimes from building nuclear arsenals are our only protection from the use of such material to harm us and our friends .

And to our dismay , regimes friendly to us can change to a different stance , putting us at risk again and again . Our track record is spotty to say the least in dealing with some areas of the world ; for example , the Shah os Iran , Saddam Hussein , certain South American countries , and others .

OH don't even get me started on this........ I have too many opinions to fit here...

BUt that's why we are here - to air conflicting views ! We don't get mean or nasty either , all are entitled to opinions . Be prepared to back yours up , however , LOL .

oh don't worry... I never give an opinion that I can't back up

Sane. The insane you have no control over. All you can do is guard against them. Depending on the intell. you might get a step or two ahead.

Couldn't of said is better.

I think we spend to much time on the net? Still i give it when able. Nasty is relative. Opinions, are like anatomy. we got the same parts.

naw I don't spend too much time on the internet... not me... nope... nada...

Nuclear weapons will never ever be used in a time of war again. Unless North Korea or China or some country that hates us sends nuclear warheads at Amerika, we would not use them. But, again, anything is possible. But I just don't see any nation attacking the worlds only remaining superpower. America has huge world influence and a huge bloc of allies. Plus, we are the worlds biggest nuclear power. If my source is right, we have 100 thousand nuclear warheads in stock today. But, I could be wrong.
Now, to me, nuclear warheads are the pubic hair of America. If we did not have them, we could not be called a powerful nation. Atleast not as powerful.
Personally I think nuclear warheads are ok sometimes. I mostly worry about other countries getting theirs stolen or hijacked or whatever. America should get rid of it's warheads and not keep making new ones to add to it's stock. We spend money every year on warheads and nuclear energy. It is a ecological disaster.
My opinion, and most agree with me, the air force in 1945 that bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not know what they were doing. Personally I think they did not know the ecological damage they would cause, nor did they know how many innocent people would die from radiation in the coming year or two.
I have no problem with having nuclear warheads in America as long as they are protected. Plus, I don't think any nation including our own should have more than a hundred. America has thousands I am sure. But they should not have thousands. Again, as I said, the military only will use warheads as a last resort. Also, if a nation attacked us with a nuke, we would go after them with a bunch. But, that is all.
Plus, my stance on chemical weapons is the same. I think no nation should have a HUGE stockpile of them. At Ellsworth, Annapolis, and a few other bases, they have chemical weapons like VX poison gas, Mustard gas, corosive Sarin gas, and the government is working on another I beleive. See, America has millions of chemical weapons cause they are cheap, easy, and quick to make. They have stockpiles in many bases. Again, America has never used a chemical warhead and I seriously doubt ever will. But, still, I think we should keep a few.
America is the only remaining superpower. I am all for nuclear warheads, just a limited stock.
-Lieutenant General John P.
(Three Star General now)

We should not abolish the making of nuclear weapons.

Nuclear weapons are what made the United States a military superpower after the second World War. Our ability to develop nuclear weapons defeated the threat of a nuclear war during the era of the Cold War because both sides had the same weapons.

Nowadays, countries are trying to emerge as nuclear powers and threatening the big bad United States with their weapons. Our nuclear weapons are the only thing holding back these other countries from a potential attack on us.

Next time you have a bright idea about nuclear weapons abolishment, just think of what made us a superpower in the world.

I never knew nuclear warheads made us a superpower.
I never would have thought of that. See, the term superpower means: nation with a lot of influence in the world and a large bloc of allies.
I guess you learn something new everyday.
I will research this for myself. I never knew what made us a superpower.
-Lieutenant General John P.

Why do you think people listen to us, or obey our influence?

Why do you think people want to be our friends (for the most part) ?

Everybody wants to be nice to the big guy who can kick your ass, unless of course you think you can kick his ass. You definitely don't want him to be your enemy, right? You want to stay off his radar, stay on his good side.

We are the big guy who can kick ass. The Soviet Union tried to be a big guy who could kick ass too, it didn't work out for them. They still have a lot of ways to kick ass, but not without getting their ass kicked.

All these terrorists are the scrawny mother fuckers that will fight dirty to try to beat the big guy who can kick ass.