Does Israel have the right to have nuclear weapons?

[barman]

JJ, I think it's been established that you are far more frightened of countries being on equal footing with regard to having nuclear defensive capabilities than are many others of us.

We stand with great confidence behind our words. In the 21st century, the only nations that will be invaded by other foreign armies will be those who do not have nuclear defensive capabilities.

Iraq and Afghanistan are the two most obvious victims of foreign invasion this century. I'm not aware of any nation with nukes who in this century has suffered their fate.

 

[barman]

So you're saying the US should have stayed in Viet Nam, no matter how long the war went on?

MMJ might indeed respond that the world would be a better place today had the US not pulled out of active combat in Vietnam over 35 years ago.

He's posted that here before, though I don't believe he honestly believes it.

 

[Mistermj]

So you're saying the US should have stayed in Viet Nam, no matter how long the war went on?

No.

But does it make sense to protest the war on moral grounds...but then cause 3 million people to be slaughtered by your hasty actions?

 

[Mistermj]

JJ, I think it's been established that you are far more frightened of countries being on equal footing with regard to having nuclear defensive capabilities than are many others of us.

We stand with great confidence behind our words. In the 21st century, the only nations that will be invaded by other foreign armies will be those who do not have nuclear defensive capabilities.

Iraq and Afghanistan are the two most obvious victims of foreign invasion this century. I'm not aware of any nation with nukes who in this century has suffered their fate.

I don't think there are that many "We" here...as you say.

Your view is very radical to common views of foreign policy around the world.

 

[nimue77]

Yes, the Country of Israel has the same right to Nuclear weapons as any other country.

 

[barman]

Yes, the Country of Israel has the same right to Nuclear weapons as any other country.

And it's time that folks realized that there's nothing any country can do to impede other country(s) from obtaining and/or manufacturing nuclear defense weapons.

Any such claim otherwise is pure chest beating bravado.

 

[FalseDmitri]

And it's time that folks realized that there's nothing any country can do to impede other country(s) from obtaining and/or manufacturing nuclear defense weapons.

Any such claim otherwise is pure chest beating bravado.

This was exactly my point. Furthermore, does the US have the "right" to decide which countries can and cannot obtain nuclear weapons? Even if the US did, how could we possibly enforce such decisions?

 

[barman]

Your view is very radical to common views of foreign policy around the world.

It's understandable that you might find an opinion different than your own to be "radical".

Meanwhile, many of us certainly understand the important distinctions betwee the year 1938 and the year 2009 with regard to how the global community interacts. Perhaps that's still a struggle for other less radical folks.

 

[barman]

This was exactly my point. Furthermore, does the US have the "right" to decide which countries can and cannot obtain nuclear weapons? Even if the US did, how could we possibly enforce such decisions?

Answers to your two above questions are No and Of Course They Cannot

 

[barman]

As we can see from the history of the past 30 years, the USA does not send their military killing machine into countries which have nuclear defensive weapons.

And no other country will do it either unless they wish to face virtual annihilation of their people.