Banning Nuclear Weapons

Andrew Timco
Composition 2
Mrs. Ferguson
4/15/2011
Banning Nuclear Weapons Testing Do you know how much money our nation spends on weapons? We have more than enough and aren’t allowed to use one in war without the complications of Nuclear Winter. Our country should reduce the amount of funding on nuclear weapons. However, in the one situation where we may need to incinerate a chemical war zone, a nuclear weapon is necessary. Nuclear weapons testing should be done on a much smaller scale on the back side of the moon. Radioactive waste and radiation have been major problems on Earth since nuclear science was founded. Currently in Japan such things are a scare because of the floods causing leak problems in the power plants. Portions of Japan had malignant genetic mutations said to be the causes of the largest explosions during WWII. Russia had similar problems in the event of the Chernobyl disaster.
I think that there is less to gain and more to worry about from nuclear tests. I also think that that any nations defense should if absolutely necessary use a larger number of small weapons that aren’t radioactive or biochemical hazardous because of accuracy. If a nation has nuclear power it also has the technology to make weapons. If nuclear weapons in other countries are problems, United Nations should shut down the nuclear power plants. Nuclear power is sort of out dated and can be replaced from modern technology. The amount of money spent on radioactive waste handling could instead go towards alternative sources of energy.
Chemical warfare is the worst conditions that any creature could live through. Nuclear weapons can produce the heat required to destroy any biological outbreak. World leaders all seem to agree with this. In 2006 they were constantly at a stand off of who needs to disarm themselves first. They should just keep their weapons incase of severe civilian riots or portions of military disobedience. I don’t believe that they can get a refund on something like that. Based on Richard Meserve, chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) featured in the Weapons of Mass Destruction book: “There are approximately 150,000 licensees for radioactive materials in the U.S. and 2 million devices containing radioactive material in the U.S. today. From these an average of approximately 375 sources or devices of all kinds are reported lost or stolen each year in the U.S., that is, roughly one per day. That chilling statistic illustrates why, in a run of events worthy of Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, the United States finds itself at greater risk of an attack by nuclear-based weaponry today than at the height of the Cold War. ” (Greenhaven Press) In the book Weapons of Mass Destruction by Greenhaven, there is a quote from George W. Bush that says:
“Weapons of mass destruction (WMD)-nuclear, biological, and chemical-in the possession of hostile states and terrorists represent one of the greatest security challenges facing the United States.” ( Greenhaven Press) According to the Weapons of Mass Destruction book: “Most experts believe that the likelihood of a terrorist attack involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is low-at least, lower than the likelihood of a conventional attack. Nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) weapons are simply harder to build and use than conventional arms and explosives.” ( Greenhaven Press) In the Weapons of Mass Destruction book, a task force on homeland security sponsored by Harvard University says:
“ The consequences of a successful (WMD) attack would be severe…Relatively small amounts of some chemical and biological agents can create mass casualties, potentially causing large numbers of fatalities and an overwhelming number of injuries. The consequences of a WMD incident could also include economic damage, environmental contamination, international repercussions, increased internal police powers, and deleterious psychological effects on citizens.” ( Greenhaven Press) A comment from the CIA director featured in the Weapons of Mass Destruction book :
“Congress appropriates $8 billion year to research missile defense systems-the largest weapons program in the budget.” The director also said “Of more than 190 nations in the world, 35 of them, including the United States, have ballistic missiles. These are missiles that, like the V-2s first used by Nazi Germany, have a brief period of powered flight, then coast through space or the upper atmosphere on a ballistic trajectory that brings them back to Earth.” Another comment was “The United States is protected from most missile threats by the oceans. Almost any nation wishing to attack America from its own territory must build a missile capable of traveling thousands of miles. Fortunately, it is very difficult and expensive to do that. This is why 21 of the 35 nations possessing missiles have been able to deploy only short-range missiles, much like the V-2s, that can’t go farther than 200 miles. Three others have short-range missiles capable of traveling 600 miles. Many of the missiles are old, poorly maintained and unreliable. Of the other 10 nations besides the United States that have ballistic missiles, most only have medium-range systems that travel about 600 to 1,800 miles. ” The director later stated “Only China and Russia are able to attack the United States with nuclear warheads on long-range, land-based intercontinental missiles.” ( Greenhaven Press) There have been many arguments against the use of Nuclear Weapons. I suggest a solution that nations do not invest so much money in Nuclear Testing. Right now the United States has a very large abundance of warheads. Our government leaders sound like they have the intent to destroy the earth. The world is run by people who currently aren’t attending school to further be educated and to brainstorm ways to improve the earth. Plenty of them are distracted by their family lives. Why might anyone need a supply of weapons that large? How many of our government officials have had bad habits such as drinking or gambling problems? Maybe it really is time to fire some people. A job done half right isn’t correct at all. Billions of dollars spent on a number of weapons that earth couldn’t survive to use them all, yet our country is in debt, and there are poverty stricken areas of the world. The United Nations actually holds a holiday called International Day against Nuclear Tests on August 29th which began in 2009. Osama Bin Laden was found in Pakistan and killed during May 2011. The United States is still resolving threatening issues in that country. I believe our weapons should be on reserve incase of any terribly hostile crisis. In February 2011, Kenneth A. Myers III director of U.S. Strategic Command Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction said: “ The value and effectiveness of countering any threat from weapons of mass destruction is much greater at the source.” (Karen Parrish) In 2009, United States President Barack Obama announced a method to eliminate the al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Some of the guiding principals included such things as keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists. Clearly terrorists have disagreed with nuclear policy since there was one. There were very few years during this century where the United States was not at war. In Conclusion, our country should reduce the amount of funding on nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons tests should be for emergencies only. The amount that they are done in is completely unacceptable. Military spending is a bit in inhumane considering that they do not necessarily put some very desperate situations first such as the fuel crisis. We won’t even have a way to launch a counter strike if we can’t solve that problem. Might there be something wrong with the military considering enough people want to fight wars against them constantly? American Freedom does not mean destroy the world for other people.

Works Cited
Glassman,Bruce, and Bonnie Szumski,(2005) Weapons of Mass Destruction
(Torr, James D. and Helen Cothran Eds.) Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press.
Bush, George Weapons of Mass Destruction “quote from book 2005.” p.10
CIA Director Weapons of Mass Destruction “quote from book 2005.” p.24-25
Homeland Security Weapons of Mass Destruction “quote from book 2005.” p.15
Richard Meserve, Weapons of Mass Destruction “quote from book 2005.” p.17

Karen Parrish Agency chief outlines threat reduction strategy 23 Feb, 2011
<http://www.af.mil/news/story_print.asp?id=123243832>
The CNN Wire Staff More lawmakers want photos of bin Laden 's body released 12 May, 2011
<http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/12/congress.bin.laden.photos/index.html?iref=allsearch>
Smith, Matt Japan nuclear crisis under review at 2-month mark 11 May, 2011
<http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/11/japan.nuclear.reactors/index.html?iref=allsearch>
NRC Fact Sheet on Biological Effects of Radiation 4 Feb, 2011 http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/bio-effects-radiation.html Elsa McLaren and agencies Reaction: world united against nuclear bomb test 9 Oct, 2006 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article666526.ece Treasury Direct Debt Subject to Limit Graph 19 May, 2011 http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/charts/charts_debt.htm The United Nations International Day Against Nuclear Tests http://www.un.org/en/events/againstnucleartestsday/ White House Foreign Policy 27 May, 2010 http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/foreign-policy Banning Nuclear Weapons Testing
By: Andrew Timco
May 13, 2011

Cited: Glassman,Bruce, and Bonnie Szumski,(2005) Weapons of Mass Destruction (Torr, James D Karen Parrish Agency chief outlines threat reduction strategy 23 Feb, 2011 &lt;http://www.af.mil/news/story_print.asp?id=123243832&gt; The CNN Wire Staff More lawmakers want photos of bin Laden 's body released 12 May, 2011 &lt;http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/12/congress.bin.laden.photos/index.html?iref=allsearch&gt; Smith, Matt Japan nuclear crisis under review at 2-month mark 11 May, 2011 &lt;http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/11/japan.nuclear.reactors/index.html?iref=allsearch&gt; NRC Fact Sheet on Biological Effects of Radiation 4 Feb, 2011 http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/bio-effects-radiation.html Elsa McLaren and agencies Reaction: world united against nuclear bomb test 9 Oct, 2006 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article666526.ece Treasury Direct Debt Subject to Limit Graph 19 May, 2011 http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/charts/charts_debt.htm White House Foreign Policy 27 May, 2010 http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/foreign-policy May 13, 2011