Risk of Nuclear War?

[Port]

Where's g0zen to STFU this guy?

[Type Ryan]

I guess you have no sense of humor... pity.

[g0zen]

N. Korea has, at best, a handful of missiles. Iran is a decade or more away from a single bomb. The US still has nuclear stockpiles in the thousands, with Russia coming up second, and the many European powers having even smaller arsenals.

So, to put things in perspective, France is more of a nuclear threat to the United States than N. Korea, Iran, and Pakistan combined.

Also, missile defense systems are boondoggles designed to funnel your money to defense contractors. They never have worked, and they never will.

[Type Ryan]

N. Korea has, at best, a handful of missiles. Iran is a decade or more away from a single bomb. The US still has nuclear stockpiles in the thousands, with Russia coming up second, and the many European powers having even smaller arsenals.

So, to put things in perspective, France is more of a nuclear threat to the United States than N. Korea, Iran, and Pakistan combined.

Also, missile defense systems are boondoggles designed to funnel your money to defense contractors. They never have worked, and they never will.

My concern is Russia - you mentioned that they're second behind the U.S. They have over 5,000 missles and do business with a lot of Arab countries. That said, my concern lies in the fact that a country of that size and nuclear capability could easily proliferate its stockpile to other "radical" countries - like Iran. I'm sure all of this would be done on the black market since any public knowledge of such a transaction would stir the bee's nest. Diplomatic relations with Russia aren't exactly all the great right now and IMO they won't get better until 'Lil Bush gets out of office.

I just think the nuclear threat is greater than what most people realize. If there's one thing I've learned in life - it's to never underestimate your enemy. Who ever thought N. Korea would build the bomb so quickly?

[The_Meach]

I'll be building my bomb shelter out back to protect me from all those Russian missiles that are going to be raining down on me.

[Type Ryan]

All I'm saying is that this isn't the world we used to live in and getting nuclear weapons isn't as big of a challenge as it once was. With a will, there's a way and if you have the funds and the ability to "find" pre-made nuclear weapons, those with the will could get their way.

[The_Meach]

Hey, fair enough. This just isn't really news, imo. I don't think we're ever going to see state-on-state nuclear war; terrorists w/a bomb are a real concern.

[Type Ryan]

Hey, fair enough. This just isn't really news, imo. I don't think we're ever going to see state-on-state nuclear war; terrorists w/a bomb are a real concern.

I agree this isn't news and that state-on-state nuclear war won't likely happen. It's the countries who harbor terrorist organizations, who also do business with countries with access to nuclear material that's scary. So in a roundabout sort of way we're on the same page.

[g0zen]

My concern is Russia - you mentioned that they're second behind the U.S. They have over 5,000 missles and do business with a lot of Arab countries. That said, my concern lies in the fact that a country of that size and nuclear capability could easily proliferate its stockpile to other "radical" countries - like Iran. I'm sure all of this would be done on the black market since any public knowledge of such a transaction would stir the bee's nest. Diplomatic relations with Russia aren't exactly all the great right now and IMO they won't get better until 'Lil Bush gets out of office.

Russia has just as much to fear from radical jihadis as we do. They've been fighting them for two decades now. We have 9/11, they have Beslan. We have Iraq, they have Chechnya. So, Putin isn't going to be selling any nukes that might get into the hands of extremists. He's too busy aiming warheads at the US and NATO countries because we've created a flashpoint in Eastern Europe. If it's black market fissile material you fear, look at Pakistan, not the former Soviet Union.

I just think the nuclear threat is greater than what most people realize. If there's one thing I've learned in life - it's to never underestimate your enemy. Who ever thought N. Korea would build the bomb so quickly?

You're paranoid, and ridiculously so. The threat of nuclear war has been with us since the 50s, and it's been a whole lot worse than it is now. Back then we faced complete annihilation, now the worst that can happen is we lose a major city to a suitcase nuke or dirty bomb. Terrible, but try to put things in some perspective.

All I'm saying is that this isn't the world we used to live in and getting nuclear weapons isn't as big of a challenge as it once was. With a will, there's a way and if you have the funds and the ability to "find" pre-made nuclear weapons, those with the will could get their way.

LOL, scaremongering is a pointless exercise and there's no evidence to substantiate your fears. Is it theoretically possible? Sure, but then so is asteroids hitting the Earth or a modern plague, but I don't sweat that shit everyday either. If you want to be afraid of something, think of how many car crash fatalities there are annually in the US every time you drive to work. That's some scary shit right there.

[icarusfall]

I really think if anyone's gonna' do it, we have a real shot at making the Apocalypse happen.