Pakistan and India were on the brink recently. North Korea (Straighup wack-a-doodle). Loose Nukes from the former Soviet Union. Russia has a first strike policy. And the poverty of imagination among the wonks in the American Foreign Policy elite when it comes to dealing with non-cold war scenarios. (Oh and MOAB counts as Nuke!)

Despite the fact that there have been nuclear weapons used in war, I think most of us have grown up with that possibilty being somehow distant and unreal. Maybe because it SO apocalyptic sounding. I think 9-11 changed that view in many people's minds.

Who thinks we will see some kind of nuclear event in our lifetime? (Whether nukes used in war, dirty bombs, reactor disaster etc.)

Not to be glum, but let's face it!

Oh and this is not politics. It's about fear.

And I'm not talking about my thread bombing!

i think we may well live to see that

maybe the day prince releases a no.1 hit album!

XxAxX said:

As it were!

I hope not.

althom said:

Of course you hope not, you idiot! We all do!



But what do you think are the chances of that happening? Or, have your thoughts of the chances of that happening changed in recent years?

.

if the current american administration carries on terrorising the world, anything can happen.

the world has had enough.

sad but true.

I don't think any country would attempt to bomb the U.S. for they know they would have hell to pay. Someone might attempt to launch a dirty bomb, but I'm thinking it's highly unlikely that would occur. I do think that other countries may launch them at each other and somehow, someway America will be pulled into battle. One would hope that with all of the technology the U.S. has at it's hands that there are inumerable safeguards in place at reactors to prevent a national diasaster.

no

2the9s said:

I think the chances of a major war have been minimised over the last decade. But I do think the chances of a small country launching a bomb have grown with a lot of countries now able to manufacture their own weapons.

sinisterpentatonic said:

one would hope.

if US and UK will stop selling people the bits to make them we might be safe.

milkshake said:

True!

milkshake said:

That's not really the point. It's more about the idea of nuclear weapons as a reality. Weapons are meant to be used, right? For 40 years or whatever, there has been this view of nuclear wepons as a deterrent (mutual assured destruction etc). But are they more in "play" now?

It doesn't matter who uses them. In fact, who is more likely to use them first? A state or some fanatical group?

Lleena said:

Really? Will they ever be used? They can't be wished away.

sinisterpentatonic said:

hey bro
its your crazy country that bombs everybody
if there is a nuclear strike in our lifetime
it will be by the US not against the US

and why dont weapons made of depleted uranium count as nukes
oh and lets not forget the daisy cutter
fuck i would rather be nuked than have a daisy cutter dropped on my house

althom said:

Because of the end of the cold war?

blackcherry said:

true.

2the9s said:

the fanatical groups are funded by the state
ask osama, his family and the bushes send each other christmas cards
and easter eggs

2the9s said:

Yes...and because of peoples attitudes to the whole idea of having nuclear weapons in the first place.

blackcherry said:

That's why I mentioned MOABs too (that bomb the Pentagon tested before the Iraq war in Florida.) It seems that one of the things that has happened is that technology seems to be employed to build bombs that are "technically" (according to treaty) not nuclear.

And seriously, this is not about politics (though fear of America is a legitimate response here.)

So you think the USA will be the first to deploy nuclear weapons? I'm not sure I see that.

althom said:

i wished this was true
the likelihood of a third world war
is becoming more apparent than ever
the unequal distribution of resources, wealth and education
the changing weather
in the next twenty years it is predicted that europe and N america
will fall in temperature to that of artic conditions
there is gonna be wars aplenty for the fight of land, food and resources

but you are lucky there is plenty of space in OZ maybe i should migrate

2the9s said:

I think that the fear that they will ever be used is greater than the reality.

2the9s said:

well the US used daisy cutters in Afganistan
weapons made of depleted uranium was used in the first gulf war extensively
and i know of a few british squaddies that are suffering as a direct result
of the radiation from these weapons
god knows what has happened to the Iraqi's with their soil and air contaminated

Lleena said:

That's exactly what drove the cold war (successfully I should say! (even realizing the weirdness of the word "successfully" here)).

But I mentioned 9-11 for example because that was an event that might as well have been nuclear, no? It showed that there are thresholds out there that are lower than cold war standards.

anyways fuck nuclear war
america gave the world mcdonalds
and globalisation has seen to it
that coca cola is the most recognised word the world over
now that some serious chemical warfare right there

2the9s said:

I remember when that happened there were a lot of people calling for the US to use a nuclear weapon on countries that they thought supported Osama.

rather drink me some napalm

blackcherry said:

LMAO!

So we should bomb MickyD's?

For those of you saying there will be no nuclear event/war in our lifetime, will there be some new paradigm for deterrence? Something like the bipolar world of the cold war?