M.A.D. and me

[Aemilius Paulus]

I heard Black Mesa is hiring.

I believe the position has already been filled by some Eastern European emigre

Weak Reference...

[Samurai Waki]

So, that is the question I am asking: Are nuclear weapons a good thing? Is it desirable for the UK to maintain a nuclear deterrent, or should we be pursuing nuclear disarmament? Is the MAD doctrine ultimately sound, or is it dangerously naive about the risk of nuclear holocaust? Do nuclear weapons, in short, make the world a safer, or more dangerous, place?

Are nuclear weapons a good thing? No, any weapon that has the power to kill millions of innocent people in one go, should never be considered a "good" thing. However, they have been a credit to keeping some heads cool.

Is it desirable for the UK to maintain a nuclear deterrent, or should we be pursuing nuclear disarmament? As a stable, Democratic Regime that has been at the forefront of World Politics since time immemoriable, the UK should be allowed to maintain an Arsenal. Countries like Iran, North Korea, or Saudi Arabia, should not.

Is the MAD doctrine ultimately sound, or is it dangerously naive about the risk of nuclear holocaust? When was the last time we had a full on nuclear war? Even when MAD was in place, few countries, including the more unstable ones (Pakistan, India, and arguably Israel at some points) have been close to unleashing their Nuclear capability, but cool headed diplomacy on both sides of the fence have deterred their use... for the time being. We won't know how much of a deterrent they really are, until either we wipe each other off the face of the planet, or the idea of War becomes outdated.

Do nuclear weapons, in short, make the world a safer, or more dangerous, place? If you're asking for moral clarity on this, it is really up to you to decide. In some ways, I suppose Nuclear Weapons have made the world a more peaceful place, and in other ways a much, much, much more dangerous place.