Rethinking Nuclear Weapons - Pragmatic solutions to nuclear weapons

[I recently attended a conference of the Peace and Security Initiative in Washington, DC, which had a fascinating presentation on values by an outfit called American Environics. They look at the deep values that underlie familiar positions. Some of what I heard sparked this imaginary conversation.]

[Conservative]: “We have Ward Wilson with us today who recently wrote an article in the liberal journal Dissent examining the issues around abolishing nuclear weapons. Aren’t you worried that that would leave us defenseless?”

[Me]: “When guns are outlawed then only outlaws will have guns?”

[Conservative]: “Exactly.”

[Me]: “A lot of people are afraid of nuclear weapons and they’re right to be. Nuclear weapons are very, very dangerous. The question is: would you rather have a world in which a lot of people (some of whom we don’t trust) have nuclear weapons and the US has overwhelming conventional … Read More »