Nuclear Weapons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nuclear Weapons - Essay Example Though the stockpiling of such weapons has been justified by many countries, notably the U.S., as being a deterrent for war, the many negative consequences associated with the use of nuclear weaponry even in a limited capacity has been loudly trumpeted by politicians, scientists, scholars and the majority of the world’s citizens alike. The term ‘limited nuclear war’ is ambiguous at best and considered an oxymoron by some who are confused by the concept of combining ‘nuclear bomb’ and ‘limited use’ together within the same phrase. The guiding principles of force used in a ‘limited war’ can be described as â€Å"the ‘minimum necessary’ and ‘the maximum feasible’† (Brown, 1988: 177). One person’s definition could include a ‘limited’ nuclear strike of a populous city, a clear violation of the moral and ethical standards of most people yet the minority opinion may be the one making that decision. The result could be catastrophic for the victims as well as the region and the collective psyche of the nation who caused the destruction. Germans for example, still have to cope with the national shame of the Holocaust. Military engagements are fraught with imprecise and unpredictable events, seldom precisely regulated. In troducing nuclear weapons escalates the engagement but does nothing to make the situation less volatile thereby only acting to exacerbate an already tense and dangerous conflict. It is unlikely that anyone could provide a reasonable argument demonstrating that using nuclear weapons on any scale could be sustained in a limited form. Nuclear weapons are immensely destructive whether large or small and even restrained use would inflict great harm to people and property. â€Å"Radiation released from each step in the nuclear weapons production cycle causes cancer, congenital defects, mental retardation, immune destruction, cancer,