Problems With Nuclear Weapons

During the Cold War, the U.S. and the Soviet Union were the only two superpowers with nuclear weapons. There was a mutual respect for each other and fortunately, restraint against using any nuclear weapons during that time in history. Today, however, is a different story. There are over twenty nations with nuclear weapons and the list seems to only be growing. The problems with nuclear weapons are vast. The more nuclear weapons or devices there are, the easier it will be for one or more of them to get into the hands of terrorists. Another major problem with nuclear weapons is that the more countries there are obtaining these weapons, the greater the risks of a mistake or accidental launch taking place. This would place the entire world in a very unstable situation with no real remedy. As more rogue nations obtain nuclear weapons, peaceful nations feel they have a need to arm themselves. As a result, they will themselves seek out nuclear weapons, not for offensive purposes, but to use as a deterrent, a defensive measure. The more nations there are either trying to obtain nuclear weapons or possessing them creates great instability worldwide. The question is not "if" there is a detonation of a nuclear weapon, but rather "when." Disaster will strike simply because some of the nations obtaining nuclear weapons do not have the same restraint the U.S. and Soviet Union displayed during the Cold War. These rogue nations main objective in obtaining nuclear weapons is to intimidate, threaten, and attack enemies with their newly acquired technology.