Should we Eliminate Nuclear Weapons?

[FireCat]

According to some random websites the US spends 20 billion bucks each year on nuclear weapons.
Nukes are very costly to maintain, I believe.

Overall military expenditure: about 660 billion $ p.a.

Wow, that's a lot of money!

 

[Accname]

So the nuclear weapons are 3% of the total spending?
Doesnt sound that expensive to me.

 

[Slapshot136]

Nukes are very costly to maintain, I believe.

I bet most of that $$ is spent on security (guards, fences, etc.)

 

[s3rius]

So the nuclear weapons are 3% of the total spending?
Doesnt sound that expensive to me.

Yea, and still: you could feed the entire population of manhatten for 1 year with these $20 b.

 

[Accname]

Yea, and still: you could feed the entire population of manhatten for 1 year with these $20 b.

Come on man, thats not even an argument.

 

[s3rius]

I find it a pretty good argument - don't you think that Manhatten will play a major role in WW3? We can't affort to let them starve! :0

In comparison to the entire military budget isn't much at all, but it's still money spent on the wrong things.
If we were to spend the military budget on other things we could say goodbye to climbing national debts, rising taxes or lack of funding for education - which is a pretty sad state of affairs in my eyes.


To be perfectly honest I'm not even sure what we're arguing for or against right now.

The initial question was whether to get rid of nukes, but we've spent most of the time talking about the nature of Uranium and the effect of nukes on the environment

I don't even know how I'd answer this question as I don't know much about the strategic importance of nukes for keeping peace.

 

[FireCat]

I agree, the money could have been better spent.

Seriously, nuclear weapons It's more of a show of power, to deter and strike fear in other countries,. Isn't that so? But Just imagine... one person that shouldn't have access to those weapons, does get ahold of them. hmm Or, due to the a government that losing their grasp on sanity.. then we might as well say goodbye for good eh?!

 

[camelCase]

Prisoner's dilemma.
If I keep nukes and everyone else does, we can't attack each other without serious repercussions.
If I keep nukes and no one else does, I can attack anyone without much problem.
If I don't keep nukes and everyone else does, I am a dead man if nuked.
If I don't keep nukes and no one else does, we can't attack each other without a long, dragged out war.

Obviously, keeping nukes gives you a plus (attack all with impunity) and a neutral (no one can attack) no matter what everyone else does. Not keeping nukes gives you a minus (dead man) and a neutral (long war) no matter what everyone else does.

That minus is a serious minus. So, nukes should be kept, tadah!

 

[Accname]

There is alot of money which could be spend better. If you stop repairing roads just imagine how much food you could buy from that money! Or if you stop all charity for other countries?! Or even better: No more protection for the enviroment, so much money spend there.

But seriously, they do not spend 660 billion on toys. That money goes mostly to people who are getting paid for a job. If you cut that money to 0 you will have millions who lose their jobs. All those people in the military, all those military suppliers all those people in military research. Boom, aint no more.
So after you use that money to buy food for people in whatever you will leave millions of people without food.

 

[FireCat]

Assault weapons for $bn and moar aren't needed, period

Fixing the roads as necessary to avoid costly maintenance later on. And maintenance projects spend money faster and create jobs. Seriously, spending money is easy. Spending money wisely is another thing altogether.

 

[camelCase]

Fixing roads arent necessary, period

 

[s3rius]

And even if all nations play nice and wouldn't attack each other, military is still useful. Natural disasters, large accidents and whatnot.

But:
Instead of researching weapon systems, why not research something more "useful"? Scientists still needed.
Instead of building fighter jets, why not start building long-lasting houses? Engineers still needed.
Insetad of building bunkers, why not build decent nuclear waste repositories? Architects still needed.

Even if you'd just take the money to buy food for 44 million people (that's about how many westerners you could permanently feed with $660bn p.a.) you'd create a lot of jobs in the food and logistics industry.
You could feed the entire US Armed Forces (including employed civilians) 22 times over with that

Of course taking away all funding for military wouldn't just leave you with +$660b net gain, but it'd allow for more useful progress.

I know that it won't happen, I know that we need an army because other nations just won't play nice.
I'm not sure if we need the massive amount of missiles, air craft carriers or nuclear submarines, but we got them one way or another.

But it's a nice thought to spend the money for betterment of the human race instead of trying to subdue and fight each other.

Edit:
-> Fixing roads costs less than repairing all the vehicle damage these roads cause.
-> Fixing roads wouldn't be as necessary if roads were built well at all. Most roads are built with cheap materials, made too thin and were deliberately built to last only a "short" while. Quantity over quality..
-> (Good) roads are needed for good infrastructure.

 

[FireCat]

Well, then go ahead. Walk 5000 miles, and then 500 more.
If they fall apart @camelCase

 

[Accname]

Lol this is funny because i am actually against military and war but i just like arguing with people.

 

[s3rius]

So do I ^^

 

[camelCase]

Well, then go ahead. Walk 5000 miles, and then 500 more.
If they fall apart @camelCase

I already walk a lot. Your point is moot.

 

[FireCat]

Imagine if there was no such thing as military ?

I already walk a lot. Your point is moot.

What about them who "can't walk? etc..."

 

[s3rius]

Let them crawl.
Those who can't crawl? Let them roll.

 

[FireCat]

Let them crawl.
Those who can't crawl? Let them roll.

Crawl to their job/school.. miles away?

 

[s3rius]

Physical activity is good for your health.

And if they really want to be lazy bums, just switch to a job/school near you!