We are not totally mad then.
The House of Commons has backed the renewal of the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system by 472 votes to 117. The MPs' vote approves the manufacture of four replacement submarines at a current estimated cost of £31bn. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told MPs nuclear threats were growing around the world and Trident "puts doubts in the minds of our adversaries".
Labour was split over the issue with 140 of its 230 MPs going against leader Jeremy Corbyn and backing the motion.A total of 47 Labour members voted against renewal, while others abstained.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36830923
A parliament which is 72% crazy is probably a little more than ideal.
ReplyDeletehttp://astrorhysy.blogspot.cz/2015/10/the-nuclear-option.html
ReplyDeleteNot unreasonable arguments, although I don't find them convincing enough any more. 15 or 20 years ago, I would probably have agreed with you.
ReplyDeleteHowever, today? I don't buy it. Say what you like about global capitalism (and I have a few choice words on that subject), it's made boring old land wars terribly unaffordable. Russia isn't a physical threat to Europe (Ukraine notwithstanding, but that is a slightly different situation) because their economy depends in no small part on ours remaining functional. Same goes for China. States, at least G20 states, simply can't afford to go to war with each other because they're too interconnected now.
The people who we need violent deterrents against aren't nation states any more, and aren't deterred by MAD because they are mad. Luckily those people also don't have nuclear weapons. North Korea is a special case but SK and the US will deal with them if needs be.
Also I do think someone should go first with disarming, because if nobody does then nobody ever will. It's definitely not going to be the US or Russia, nor Pakistan or India or Israel. It's down to us or France.
I would probably not have agreed with my own arguments even five years ago. But the way the situation has changed so suddenly and dramatically since then leads me to conclude that the future is currently far too uncertain to change such a major defence policy. I am not convinced that Russia wouldn't try open hostilities if push came to shove, Putin seems to delight in belligerence and holding on to power. It may - I hope - just all be bluster and a negotiating tactic, but I'm not willing to take that chance. If Russia wants peace, they should prepare for peace and stop making provocative gestures. At the same time, Europe should explore every possible avenue to establish cordial relations with Russia.
ReplyDeleteI hope that this will be the last time we renew the nuclear deterrent. I don't think we need a utopia before multilateral disarmament becomes practical, but I do think we need a more stable, predictable situation than the one we have now.
"Nor should we ever underestimate just how evil people - and even whole societies - can become. History tells me that there's probably no limit to how savage people can be, and being prepared for that just seems prudent."
ReplyDeleteAnd that's why I'd be glad if we had some societies less to worry about turning savage and being able to destroy the world...
One of those who voted to renew Trident also claims to be a member of CND, at least when it suits him.
ReplyDeleteForget his name but he's challenging to be leader of the Labour Party.