What are the benefits of nuclear weapons?
September 7th, 2010 by eranio
Why would we ever resort to nuclear weapons when we could just use bombs? Both can and do destroy any military targets we want them to, why is it necessary to kill all of the civilians in the area as well as the entire environment while we’re at it?
Maybe I should have rephrased the question. I know the benefits of having nukes, what I meant to ask was what is the benefit of USING nukes.
Posted in military weapons
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
Nuclear weapons are a good deterrent. Any potential adversary has to consider the price of attacking a country that has a nuclear arsenal may be too high, and could result in the destruction of their country. There really isn’t any benefit in using them, considering all the destruction they cause, and all the residual radiation they leave behind.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
Counter-acting overpopulation?
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
Haven’t you seen the movie Armageddon? Bruce Willis the nuclear suicide bomber saved the world!
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
The benefit of nuclear weapons (and their largest disbenefit) is the possibility of MAD, or mutually assured destruction. MAD creates an atmosphere where countries are more wary about their actions because they’re scared of the other side’s nukes. This makes sure that countries act indirectly, which come see as negative but which also ensures that the possibility of a nuclear holocaust remains low. This is evident in the example of the Cold War.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
Cost. More bang for the buck.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
War is for savages.
BULLETS, BOMBS and BIBLES are the school of thought of the 1800′s and the Republican party.
For now.. we need them for the sake of intimidation. Its more for protection than for use. No one will attack us if they know we can wipe them off the map. Unfortunately a lot of countries still have the Republican school of thought: Bullets, Bibles, and Bombs.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
If all weapons where dismantled the USA could build another one within a week. We can’t just forget how to build them.
Plus they are good defense from asteroids and aliens.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
Nuclear bombs aren’t just tactical weapons, they are also psychological. Imagine this: your whole city can be blown away in seconds with a single missile and there is nothing you can do.
Since WWII there has been no need to fire a nuclear weapon, and it is very unlikely for one to be fired in an armed conflict in the near future, but beware from terrorists.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
Fear.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
They saved one million allied lives and many more Japanese lives when they ended WW2
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September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
To those who have nuclear weapons that also maybe our enemies, it is a deterrent. On the other hand it may be the only to stop Iran if they finalize the nuclear weapons that they seek. It will have to be used to stop them. Once they start lobbing missiles with nuclear warheads at Tel Aviv and some of Europe, the only to stop them is with like kind.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
Intimidation.
The UK is going to get rid of Trident (our nuclear deterrent) but keep the subs we deploy it from, and send them out in the normal way. This way, everyone thinks we have nuclear weapons when we don’t. All the benefits with none of the cost, how clever are we?
We aren’t, but that would be an excellent idea if we could pull it off. Save something like £70bn.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
The reason they haven’t been used.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
There is no benefit of even nuclear anything (power plants, weapons, etc) in the hands of humans.
Why did God put the Sun 8 million miles away – he wanted to make sure that stupid humans would not get their hands on that kind-of thing.
Nuclear technology and weapons will eventually due all life on earth in. Its just a matter of time.
It has almost happened twice in the last 40 years. First with the Cuban missle crisis and more recently with the standoff between Pakistan and India.
It is just a matter of time. It is not if – but when.
Einstein might be considered a great scientist now –
but when life ceases due to his creation – I doubt he would be looked at – in retrospect – by anthing alive.
Also that Chernobyl disaster – almost screwed any life that has to have water as it almost went into the water table. Wouldn’t a glass of fresh nuclear water taste great?
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 am
MAD or Mutually Assured Destruction has prevented any more World Wars. Before nuclear weapons there was a major war every twenty years or so. None since 1945. Nuclear Weapons have kept the world safe ever since.
Yes, it is necessary to kill all of the civilians and the environment too. That is the reason no one will use them. There is no point. You cannot win. Before WWII wars were fought by armies on battlefields. The sparing the civilians and industrial war machine only made war more likely. War should be horrible, terrible and destructive. That makes it something worth avoiding.
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