Reasons for nuclear weapons

Apparently I labour under misapprehensions because I used the £20 billion figure for the renewal of Trident that anti-nuclear campaigners like to bandy about.

Forgive me, next time I'll pre-empt you changing the rules of the debate and invent a figure that pleases you.

However, I do not labour under any misapprehensions, I am well aware of the power of nuclear weapons. They are the ultimate big stick to back up your words, and it is a good thing to have them if you want people to take you seriously.

Why do you think half the tin-pot nations want them?

So that they can walk tall amongst the traditionally strong nations.

However economically weak you are, if you can wipe out somebody's cities, people will listen to you.

For example, North Korea develops a nuclear device, it then demonstrates that it can launch intercontinental ballistic rockets and the USA stops issuing threats and hands over aid.

The nuclear device served its purpose.

I stand by my assertion that to scrap nuclear weapons, while an admirable ideal, will never be achieved - until somebody develops a more destructive device.

Human beings are far too divided to co-operate and nothing short of being able to freely leave this planet and live elsewhere will open people's eyes to the fact that we inhabit a speck in the infinite cosmos, and so perhaps should stop killing each other for the heck of it.

Andrew Graves, Randlay