Obama Calls For Nuke-Free World 705
jamie points out news that President Obama has put out a call for a world free of nuclear weapons at a speech in Prague today. He acknowledged that it was a long-term goal, perhaps not something that can be accomplished in his lifetime, but promised to encourage the US Senate to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban treaty. According to the BBC, he also stated his desire to "negotiate a new treaty to end the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons," and to hold a global summit within the next year to work out agreements for preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. Obama said, "As the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the United States has a moral responsibility to act. We cannot succeed in this endeavor alone, but we can lead it." His speech came less than a day after North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket.
Re:Nuke Free Only Until When (Score:2, Funny)
Free of nukes only works until some other 4 foot 9 dictator decides to raise his status the only way he can to impress the world.
C'mon, that's hardly fair. Roosevelt was in a wheelchair.
Re:Nuke Free Only Until When (Score:5, Funny)
So you mean the nukes don't act as a deterrent anyway!
Nice idea, but way before it's time (Score:3, Funny)
Yes, I know I'm paraphrasing pro-gun rhetoric here, but I believe it applies. The only way that International Law works, is if all the countries involved agree to abide by said laws -- which we all know doesn't work often enough. One day, assuming the human race actually lives long enough to see it, we MAY evolve enough, physioligically and mentally, that our needs for things like solving problems with aggression will become obsolete; THEN things like nuclear weapons will have a chance to go the way of the dinosaurs. Until that day comes this technology will (unfortunately) have to exist. You can't put the genie back in the bottle once you've let it out, after all; knowing something is possible is half the battle towards MAKING it possible, even if we effectively buried the knowledge of how to create nuclear fission, physicists would work backwards and rediscover how to make it happen anyway. I applaud Obama's sentiments on the subject, as I applaud the realism of his thoughts when he says "not in my lifetime".
Monopoly (Score:5, Funny)
The problem is there's a monopoly on nuclear weapons. Thats why nukes are such a security risks with terrorists about, and a lot of attempts to acquire missiles by al queda. They will succeed as long as nukes are in the hands of a small few. The solution is to make nuclear weapons open source, so we can better secure them. Open source = better security.
If nukes are available to the common man for free, then anybody from part-time nuclear engineers, to hobbyist reactor specialists in their spare time, at home, can better analyze the security around them, test them in their backyard, etc. Put the specs on the internet for everybody to download and install in their home uranium enrichment centres. Most security holes are found by accident, so home-made nukes will help reveal more holes than any other method available.
Open Source Nukes, FTW!
Re:Rhetorical Question ... (Score:3, Funny)
I really think he does believe that the world is like Star Trek, where you can have a meeting with someone that totally hates you, and suddenly love breaks out
It worked for Jimmy Carter. Sort of.
Obama Calls For Nuke-Free World filled with (Score:2, Funny)
Fuzzy kittens and bunnies. XOXOXOXO!
What about the meteors? (Score:2, Funny)
If there are no nukes, then what are we supposed to blow up the life ending meteors with???
Re:No,he is very clever :) (Score:3, Funny)
Re:No,he is very clever :) (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Invasion guarantee (Score:5, Funny)
Has America invaded any nuclear power?
Why, Iraq of course! Don't you watch Fox News?!