nuclear-news

Children want nuclear bombs eliminated – why don’t adults?

(Commenting on Report Of The International Commission On Nuclear Non-Proliferation And Disarmament.)      Quoting from the report     “Nuclear weapons are the most inhumane weapons ever conceived, inherently indiscriminate in those they kill and maim, and with an impact deadly for decades,” the report says. ”Climate change may be the global policy issue that has captured most attention in the last decade, but the problem of nuclear weapons is at least its equal in terms of gravity – and much more immediate in its potential impact.”………….the commission offers a slightly different formulation from ”no first use”, encouraging countries to make an initial statement to the effect that ”the sole purpose of the possession of nuclear weapons is to deter the use of such weapons against one’s own state and that of one’s allies”………….

But it all comes back to a question of trust, the missing element in nuclear talks. The established nuclear powers have never made serious efforts to surrender all bombs, and as long as they hold their weapons, other countries will have an incentive to build more as a deterrent. Even if promises are made to disarm, verifying it has occurred requires faith and oversight. All of which is predicated on a level of trust…………

It’s a point the students from Hawkesdale College are quick to seize upon. ”Dear world leaders,” writes Bailey. ”I’m only 11 and I want to live my life to the full. We need to abolish nuclear weapons for us to be able to do that safely. As a beginning point, we need to get the nuclear weapons off high alert. At least then, there is less likelihood of an accidental bombing. After that, the countries need to get together and discuss abolishing these devastating weapons altogether.

”If kids can think like this, why can’t world leaders?”

Australia, Japan Spearhead Push To Eliminate Nuclear Weapons

December 16, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear weapons