Nuclear Non-Proliferation

Is Nuclear Non-Proliferation a Bad Idea??
By Daniel G. Jennings
The United States’ policy of nuclear non-proliferation, that is efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons to additional countries by enforcing treaties that limit such weapons to established nuclear powers, may actually be a bad thing that threatens the peace.
The logic behind nuclear non-proliferation is that the spread of nuclear weapons will destabilize nations and lead to arms races and conflict. The interesting thing is that history seems to disprove this argument and indicate that nuclear weapons may actually encourage peace and stability.
Many people believe that the use of the atomic bomb by the United States in 1945 may have ended World War II by encouraging Japan’s surrender. The existence of the atomic bomb and its possession by both sides in the Cold War may have stopped the conflict between Communism and the Free World from becoming World War III.
Both sides in the Cold War restrained their behavior and limited their actions out of fear of nuclear war. The Red Army never invaded Eastern Europe and America never used its technological superiority against the Soviet Union directly largely because both sides were afraid of the bomb. Instead of preparing for war, the two sides in the Cold War negotiated and tried to work out a peaceful solution.
A similar thing has happened between Pakistan and India, now that both military powers on the Indian subcontinent have the bomb they are actually talking to each other. Instead of threatening each others nation, Indian and Pakistan leaders are holding summit conferences, talking about normal relations and even trade. Why? Largely because the presence of nuclear weapons makes war between India and Pakistan impossible and forces the leaders of both nations to talk peace.
Or take the situation in the Middle East, no major Arab nation has attacked Israel or prepared a major war since it became common knowledge that the Jewish state has nuclear weapons. The Arabs simply can’t risk their own destruction so they have an incentive not to attack Israel.
Nuclear weapons might end other conflicts, a few nuclear bombs on Taiwan might force the Peoples Republic of China to back down and end its irresponsible talk of invading that island. After all the presence of American nuclear missiles in Western Europe held the Red Army at bay for decades. Eventually, the Soviet Union collapsed because its military might was useless because of nuclear weaponry.
So a strong case can be made against nuclear non-proliferation. If non-proliferation efforts succeed they may make war more likely by making it possible for countries to fight and win a conventional war. Before India and Pakistan had nuclear weapons they fought several destructive conventional wars. China feels free to threaten Taiwan because it has no reason to fear Taiwan.
Nuclear non-proliferation efforts also poison our relations with our nations and make us look like hypocrites. By the simple act of manufacturing, stockpiling and deploying nuclear weapons the US proves nuclear weapons are useful and help preserve the peace. How can a nation that maintains a large nuclear arsenal tell others not to do so?
Attempts at non-proliferation have hurt relations with other countries including India, Iran and Pakistan. Nations whose help and friendship we may need and not get because of our hypocritical treatment of them.
Obviously we have to worry about the possibility of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists and nuclear weapons in the hands of corrupt or irresponsible governments like North Korea’s. But there any evidence that nuclear weapons in the hands of developing countries are more likely to fall into the hands of terrorists.
So perhaps it is time for Americans to think out of the box and abandon this policy of nuclear non-proliferation. Instead maybe its time to ask ourselves if the world will be a safer place if more countries had the bomb? Obviously the intellectuals and peaceniks won’t like this, but history seems to be on my side, nuclear weapons might just be the key to peace and stability.