nuclear-news

UK’s Trident nuclear “deterrent” – militarily useless

Corbyn stance on scrapping nuclear missiles makes sense, Irish Times, Eamonn McCann, 12 Nov 13  Military’s default ‘deterrence’ position on nukes more to do with prestige than defence  “……… Britain’s nuclear weapons and the Trident delivery-system are both hugely expensive and utterly useless.

We have the word of David Cameron that, “overwhelmingly”, the most dangerous threat to Britain today arises from the blow-back savagery of Islamic State. But neither IS nor any other discernible threat can possibly be deterred by nuclear submarines prowling the ocean waiting for word from Whitehall to tap in the co-ordinates of whatever city or facility has been selected for vaporisation.

In his memoir, A Journey, Tony Blair conceded that Trident’s value was “non-existent in terms of military use” – before adding that cancelling the system would represent an intolerable “downgrading” of Britain’s place in the world.

Renewing Trident

Last week, Conservative chairman of the Commons foreign affairs select committeeCrispin Blunt estimated the cost of renewing Trident at £167 billion. Money is so tight people with disabilities have to take a hit. But it is money no object when it comes to nuclear bombs which nobody can explain the need for. It is about keeping up appearances, about strutting your stuff and swanking around the world. It is about acting big when you’re feeling small.

Corbyn has caused consternation among British conservatives and almost all of the mainstream media not because his ideas are odd-ball or extreme but because upon examination, many make plain sense. It is for this reason that many in positions of privilege in Britain are determined to subject him to raillery and skit rather than subject his politics to serious scrutiny.

You can learn all you need to know about British politics these days from the fact that only the mavericks now make sense. http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/corbyn-stance-on-scrapping-nuclear-missiles-makes-sense-1.2426050

November 12, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general