nuclear-news

TODAY. A whole new way of thinking about nuclear weapons – THEY’RE SILLY!

I’m grateful to Ward Hayes Wilson for giving me this idea. He has noted that Kamala Harris and co have changed the tone of discussion about Donald Trump – from being about fear of Trump, to laughter at Trump.

Then he turns to discussion about nuclear weapons. Why haven’t they been used over almost 80 years of warfare? Because – like Trump, they’re not useful – they’re weird.

Ward Hayes Wilson does not minimise the danger of nuclear weapons. He knows his stuff, and has an impressive record as a writer on matters nuclear. It’s just that he can write clearly about this, without the jargon.

“The truth is nuclear weapons are too big to use on battlefields”

“The truth is that using nuclear weapons to fight a long-range war where you target your adversary’s homeland is simply suicidal.”

“The truth is that nuclear deterrence is fatal over the long run because it’s run by human beings — creatures who make mistakes and are prone to folly.”

“the most important truth about them: they’re ludicrous weapons………….. Their non-use is the result of nuclear weapons being blundering, bumbling, poison-spreading, lousy weapons.”

In the laborious progress towards genuine democracy (we haven’t got there yet), there has been one breakthrough – over a century ago. That is that the political leaders not only have to get voted in – they have to wear more or less “ordinary” clothes. This attire is a very visible symbol that the leader – President, Prime Minister – whoever he (even she!) is called – is not a god, not divinely inspired, but just an ordinary fallible human being.

This type of breakthrough insight has not yet hit the military. In their god-like smart uniforms , bedecked with buttons, ribbons, insignia, jazzy hats – the military, naval, airforce bigwigs look like they are special creatures – super-knowledgeable angels who know what’s best for us, and that the killing of lotsa people is OK, (even if we have to go, too).

Still, tax-payers spend an exorbitant amount not only on nuclear weaponry, but on the whole hierarchy of “experts” of all kinds involved in developing, managing, teaching, publicising and extolling nuclear weapons, and preparing for war.

Much less is spent on genuine diplomacy.

We don’t need this silly trumpeting about nuclear deterrence etc. It’s time for those more down to earth methods – genuine diplomacy, negotiation, compromise …….

We can swap our fear of nuclear weapons for making fun of how silly the whole thing is .

August 24, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes