Should the US make new nukes? Options

[*mipadi*]

Labs Compete to Make New Nuclear Bomb

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the San Francisco Bay area and the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico are competing to design the nation's first new nuclear bomb in two decades.

Scientists at both facilities are working around the clock on plans that will be presented to the Nuclear Weapons Council, a federal panel that oversees the nation's nuclear weapons. The council will choose a winner later this year.

"I have had people working nights and weekends," said Joseph Martz, the head of the Los Alamos design team. "I have to tell them to go home. I can't keep them out of the office."

Congress approved the new bomb, known as the reliable replacement warhead, with bipartisan support in 2005 as part of a defense spending bill. The weapon would, by law, have the same explosive power as existing warheads.

Proponents of the project say the U.S. would lose its so-called "strategic deterrent" unless it replaces its aging arsenal of about 6,000 bombs, which will become potentially unreliable within 15 years. A new, more reliable weapon, they say, would help the nation reduce its stockpile.

Critics say the project could trigger a new arms race with Russia and China, and undercut arguments that countries such as Iran and North Korea must stop their nuclear programs.

The United States and Russia signed a treaty in 2002 calling for the countries to each cut nuclear inventories to between 1,700 and 2,200 warheads by 2012.

Source

Should the US invest in new nuclear weapons, or could this possible trigger a new arms war with Russia and/or China?

[*Uronacid*]

because, we have to be #1... ever heard of the saying "what mother doesn't know won't hurt her."... what they don't know won't hurt them....



its not a moral issue

[sakaitone]

because, we have to be #1... ever heard of the saying "what mother doesn't know won't hurt her."... what they don't know won't hurt them....
its not a moral issue

I think it's a moral issue, I agree with mipadi, why should it be okay for the U.S to have nukes?

Those weapons kill numerous people and plus the U.S. is spending more money on war when national debt is skyrocketing,this stupid war, a war triggered by the want of finding, "Weapons of mass destruction" when the U.S. is making those weapons.

If we make things as powerful as the atomic bomb we would wreck havoc upon the world. The Iran war is considered the 4th world war (Cold war being 3rd).

The bombing of the Japanese was horrible and even years after many people suffered because of the radiation (no clue how to spell that) that caused cancer.

We should focus on more important things like I dunno, Global Warming that could end the life on earth because of the hole in the ozone layer.

There are many things to consider because thinking about building some nukes to kill people, killing people is wrong, war is wrong, no matter which side anyone one is on lives are being destroyed because of war.

The U.S. shouldn't need to be number one, not if it means killing people. 'Course all of you are intitled to your opinions!