What is the point of the nuclear weapons race?

1. 84

   tsmogposted 7 years ago

   What is the point of the nuclear weapons race?
   
   Source: Federation of American Scientists (Feb 2017) shared at Statista.com. In order; Russia - 7,000, U.S. - 6,800, France - 300, China - 260, UK - 215, Pakistan - 130, India - 120, Isreal - 80. (Note: North Korea estimate is 15)

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2. 45

   Ericdierkerposted 7 years ago

   It always makes me wonder when one of these nations says to another that their actions are "unacceptable". What does that mean in light of the above numbers?

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      tsmogposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      That does give pause to consider how much those are a deterrent and a bargaining chip.

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3. 87

   stevarinoposted 7 years ago

   It all started in the stone-age when weapons were a necessity for basic survival. As clans grew, warfare increased among them. And as warfare grew, the power of the weapons grew. The introduction of gunpowder from the East in the early second millennium raised weaponry to a new plateau. Armor evolved, then tanks.
   
   Prior to the Nuclear Race, it was superiority in the air, hence the aircraft carrier trumping the importance of the battleship, a major observation of the Second World War. At the turn of the last century, there was a global war-ship (dreadnoughts) race, which had to be brought under control by the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922.
   
   Since mankind has unleashed the power of nuclear fission, there would be no winners should a global nuclear disaster come to bear, but the industry itself is a huge financial endeavor, as it is with all things military. Today, I see the nuclear weapons race as a political chess match with spending as the ultimate by-product.

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      tsmogposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I understand the picture you painted. I guess a bottom line is it is the nature thing of survival of the fittest projected onto a kingdom/nation. Plus, the advancement of technology. Like today the internet as weaponry for conducting war.

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4. 80

   dashingscorpioposted 7 years ago

   
   
   It's the "Peace through strength" theory.
   If your enemy knows you have a large arsenal of nuclear weapons they're not likely to want to engage in a war with you.

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      tsmogposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      That theory has long been the U.S. theme with nuclear capability within a large military. I guess it kinda' works up to a point.

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5. 87

   tamarawilhiteposted 7 years ago

   Nations have nuclear weapons as a deterrent to keep their rivals from using nukes on them.

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6. 88

   peoplepower73posted 7 years ago

   Trump claims our military is depleted.  I believe we have the strongest military in the world. Trump wants to increase defense spending by 54 billion and reduce federal agency spending by the same amount.  This will make the defense contractors and all the others subsidiary infrastructures very rich.  It will also put a lot of people to work.
   
   In the 1960's during the cold war, the missile race was on with the soviet union.  I worked for a company called Autonetics that employed 6,500 people just to create the guidance and control systems for the Minuteman missile and the nuclear submarines and their  missiles.  We were paid by the government to put missiles in holes and to spend that money to stimulate the economy.  Thank God the missiles were never used.  But that same technology was never upgraded from the 60's...Maybe that is what Trump has up his sleeve?

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   1. 84

      tsmogposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      From my understanding, both the U.S. and Russia are reducing the stockpiles for many years now. But, I imagine as you shared Trump's goal is bring the delivery systems current with technology?

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7. 61

   Kiss andTalesposted 7 years ago

   This shows that all of them have the power to disolve human life . God gives life  man takes it away.
   But it is written there will be a limit to this madness. Earth will be what Gods purpose for it to be from the start , inhabital and in peace no more war.

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8. 78

   randslamposted 7 years ago

   The point? Well, to be blunt...it's to see who's got the biggest phallic symbol in their arsenal...it's a dick-swinging contest that assures MAD-ness...that is, mutually assured destruction...it's a waste of time, money, weaponry and life--imagine where the planet could be economically if it wasn't for this insane dick race?

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9. 62

   Michael-Milecposted 7 years ago

   Lets say it is believable the statistical niumbers. The nuclear weapons as any other is for to be used some day at appointed time for a friendly confrontation.

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