Hummm.....
For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/learning-to-live-with-nuclear-weapons-long-term/
Commentary
Learning To Live With Nuclear Weapons, Long Term
ROBERT R. MONROE
2/28/2017
Now that President Obama's "world without nuclear weapons" has failed, it's up to America — as the world's leader — to establish a strategy to enable us all to live with nuclear weapons for the long term.
We gave the no-nukes approach a very good try.* For decades an immense global nuclear-disarmament regime — consisting of the U.N., the Conference on Disarmament, about half the world's nations, and countless nongovernment organizations — has labored unceasingly to bring the dream about (severely damaging the valuable 1970 Nonproliferation Treaty in the process).
In the U.S., four pre-eminent elder statesmen in 2007 launched a continuing effort to give serious credibility to nuclear disarmament.* In 2009 President Obama, in Prague, announced that henceforth America's goal was to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
The U.S. would lead by example, and the other nuclear nations would follow.* To achieve this objective, for the past eight years Obama has directed a series of actions to disenfranchise, derogate, delimit and disable America's nuclear weapons capability.
He succeeded eminently in the U.S.* Today, all our nuclear weapons are past the end of their design lives, and no warhead has been tested in a quarter century.* Designed for massive destruction during the Cold War, these warheads are unable to deter many of today's most serious nuclear threats.
No advanced research and development has been carried out, and no new weapons have been designed or produced.* Our test-experienced scientists and engineers have departed, and their replacements have not been able to learn by testing.* We no longer have the production facilities to build new weapons.
Regrettably, however, Obama failed in the rest of the world.* Russia and China have been aggressively modernizing and increasing their nuclear arsenals; and —*with America disabled —*they feel free to act aggressively and issue nuclear threats.* India and Pakistan have likewise expanded and improved their nukes while fighting over boarders. Israel is preparing to defend itself with nuclear weapons.
But the gravest threat is elsewhere.* For over two decades, two rogue states, North Korea and Iran, have been determined to produce nuclear weapons, and they're near success.
Hidden nuclear proliferation is just below the surface in northeast Asia and the Mideast, and as soon as these two irresponsible belligerents start producing deliverable nuclear weapons for sale to any buyer or for use by proxies, an avalanche of global proliferation will start in self-defense, spurred on by the rapid spread of fissile material (from reactors) and the new accessibility of intercontinental missiles.
With nuclear weapons available worldwide, they'll be used not just by aggressor states and terrorists, but by failed and failing states, criminals, extortionists, even disaffected individuals. Ruined, deserted, radioactive cities will dot the globe.
Our strategy of the past sixty years —*of attempting to do away with nukes —*is about to thrust us into a world of horror and chaos.* We've given it a good try, and it just doesn't work.
Is there any other strategy to maintain a livable world? Absolutely, but only one.* Nonproliferation!* We must build on the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT).* Its creators wisely established two tiers of nations: five nuclear-weapons states (the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council), and the others (currently 185) as non-nuclear-weapons states.* The creators' sole failure lay in not providing an enforcement mechanism to prevent proliferation.
The only strategy that can save the world is for the five nuclear-weapons states to accept the responsibility of enforcing nonproliferation, using military force if necessary.
But is there time to make this immense change?* Absolutely not … not enough time to make it a five-state responsibility.* This will take years, maybe decades.* It will eventually become a collegial responsibility, but at present America, as the world's leader, must accept it as an individual responsibility and act on behalf of the five.
What steps should America take?* It's straightforward:
Once these two rogue proliferators are stopped, nuclear proliferation will become manageable.* There will be only eight nuclear states overall, five of which are U.N. approved.* Should India become a permanent member of the Security Council in the future, the numbers will be six and two.* Livable.
The world's current course leads to disaster.* America is the only nation that can prevent these two rogue belligerents from producing nuclear weapons.* We must have the courage to do so.* Our action will also give the world a strategy for living with nuclear weapons permanently.
Monroe, a retired vice admiral in the U.S. Navy, is former director of the Defense Nuclear Agency.
For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/learning-to-live-with-nuclear-weapons-long-term/
Commentary
Learning To Live With Nuclear Weapons, Long Term
ROBERT R. MONROE
2/28/2017
Now that President Obama's "world without nuclear weapons" has failed, it's up to America — as the world's leader — to establish a strategy to enable us all to live with nuclear weapons for the long term.
We gave the no-nukes approach a very good try.* For decades an immense global nuclear-disarmament regime — consisting of the U.N., the Conference on Disarmament, about half the world's nations, and countless nongovernment organizations — has labored unceasingly to bring the dream about (severely damaging the valuable 1970 Nonproliferation Treaty in the process).
In the U.S., four pre-eminent elder statesmen in 2007 launched a continuing effort to give serious credibility to nuclear disarmament.* In 2009 President Obama, in Prague, announced that henceforth America's goal was to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
The U.S. would lead by example, and the other nuclear nations would follow.* To achieve this objective, for the past eight years Obama has directed a series of actions to disenfranchise, derogate, delimit and disable America's nuclear weapons capability.
He succeeded eminently in the U.S.* Today, all our nuclear weapons are past the end of their design lives, and no warhead has been tested in a quarter century.* Designed for massive destruction during the Cold War, these warheads are unable to deter many of today's most serious nuclear threats.
No advanced research and development has been carried out, and no new weapons have been designed or produced.* Our test-experienced scientists and engineers have departed, and their replacements have not been able to learn by testing.* We no longer have the production facilities to build new weapons.
Regrettably, however, Obama failed in the rest of the world.* Russia and China have been aggressively modernizing and increasing their nuclear arsenals; and —*with America disabled —*they feel free to act aggressively and issue nuclear threats.* India and Pakistan have likewise expanded and improved their nukes while fighting over boarders. Israel is preparing to defend itself with nuclear weapons.
But the gravest threat is elsewhere.* For over two decades, two rogue states, North Korea and Iran, have been determined to produce nuclear weapons, and they're near success.
Hidden nuclear proliferation is just below the surface in northeast Asia and the Mideast, and as soon as these two irresponsible belligerents start producing deliverable nuclear weapons for sale to any buyer or for use by proxies, an avalanche of global proliferation will start in self-defense, spurred on by the rapid spread of fissile material (from reactors) and the new accessibility of intercontinental missiles.
With nuclear weapons available worldwide, they'll be used not just by aggressor states and terrorists, but by failed and failing states, criminals, extortionists, even disaffected individuals. Ruined, deserted, radioactive cities will dot the globe.
Our strategy of the past sixty years —*of attempting to do away with nukes —*is about to thrust us into a world of horror and chaos.* We've given it a good try, and it just doesn't work.
Is there any other strategy to maintain a livable world? Absolutely, but only one.* Nonproliferation!* We must build on the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT).* Its creators wisely established two tiers of nations: five nuclear-weapons states (the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council), and the others (currently 185) as non-nuclear-weapons states.* The creators' sole failure lay in not providing an enforcement mechanism to prevent proliferation.
The only strategy that can save the world is for the five nuclear-weapons states to accept the responsibility of enforcing nonproliferation, using military force if necessary.
But is there time to make this immense change?* Absolutely not … not enough time to make it a five-state responsibility.* This will take years, maybe decades.* It will eventually become a collegial responsibility, but at present America, as the world's leader, must accept it as an individual responsibility and act on behalf of the five.
What steps should America take?* It's straightforward:
- Announce the proliferation danger and the new strategy far and wide.* Sell it in Washington, in America, in every capital in the world, and to all the people of the world, unceasingly.* An immense foreign-policy crusade.
- Withdraw from the Iran agreement.* Tell Iran that if it does not dismantle its nuclear facilities, we will do it with military force.* If they fail to do so, we will follow through.* The world will feel a great surge of hope.
- With great urgency, rebuild America's nuclear weapons capability.* Resume nuclear testing; design, test and produce an entirely new nuclear arsenal of advanced, specialized weapons; and produce next-generation delivery systems.
- Encourage the other four permanent Security Council members to resume testing and improve their nuclear arsenals continuously.* To enforce nonproliferation absolutely, the five must have unquestioned nuclear superiority.* Modify the NPT and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty accordingly.
Once these two rogue proliferators are stopped, nuclear proliferation will become manageable.* There will be only eight nuclear states overall, five of which are U.N. approved.* Should India become a permanent member of the Security Council in the future, the numbers will be six and two.* Livable.
The world's current course leads to disaster.* America is the only nation that can prevent these two rogue belligerents from producing nuclear weapons.* We must have the courage to do so.* Our action will also give the world a strategy for living with nuclear weapons permanently.
Monroe, a retired vice admiral in the U.S. Navy, is former director of the Defense Nuclear Agency.