Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous weapons on earth. One can destroy a whole city,
potentially killing millions, and jeopardizing the natural environment and lives of future generations
through its long-term catastrophic effects. The dangers from such weapons arise from their very
existence. Although nuclear weapons have only been used twice in warfarein the bombings of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945about 22,000 reportedly remain in our world today and there have
been over 2,000 nuclear tests conducted to date. Disarmament is the best protection against such
dangers, but achieving this goal has been a tremendously difficult challenge.

Regional Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones (NWFZ) have been established to strengthen global nuclear
non-proliferation and disarmament norms and consolidate international efforts towards peace and
security.

The United Nations has sought to eliminate such weapons ever since its establishment. The first
resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1946 established a Commission to deal with
problems related to the discovery of atomic energy among others. The Commission was to make
proposals for, inter alia, the control of atomic energy to the extent necessary to ensure its use only
for peaceful purposes. The resolution also decided that the Commission should make proposals for
the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and of all other major weapons
adaptable to mass destruction.

A number of multilateral treaties have since been established with the aim of preventing nuclear
proliferation and testing, while promoting progress in nuclear disarmament. These include theTreaty
on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests In
The Atmosphere, In Outer Space And Under Water, also known as the Partial Test Ban Treaty
(PTBT), and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which was signed in 1996 but
has yet to enter into force.
 Related Links

International Atomic Energy Agency

Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)

Hibakusha Atomic Bomb Survivors

International Day Against Nuclear Tests

A number of bilateral and plurilateral treaties and arrangements seek to reduce or eliminate certain
categories of nuclear weapons, to prevent the proliferation of such weapons and their delivery
vehicles. These range from several treaties between the United States of America and Russian
Federation as well as various other initiatives, to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Missile
Technology Control Regime, the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, and
the Wassenaar Arrangement.

Pros and Cons of Nuclear Weapons

Environmental
Apr 28, 2014

56298

The words nuclear weapons is enough to send people into a tailspin of fear.
Nuclear weapons are small devices that use nuclear reactions to cause an
extremely large explosion. They have been used in the past and had
devastating effects. While many people would argue that there is nothing
good to come from nuclear weapons, that isnt necessarily true. The big
question is the do the benefits overcome the risks?

Pros of Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear weapons are valuable tools, if placed in the right hands.

Just the fact of having nuclear weapons, and letting the rest of the world
know, provides a great amount of security. Other countries do not want to
invade or attack these countries because of their ability to retaliate with
nuclear weapons.
 Negotiation is another large benefit of having nuclear weapons. They give
a very strong tool to threaten or promise safety from, which aids many
countries. Agreements and compromises are much easier to make when
the knowledge of the destructive power possessed is given.

Cons of Nuclear Weapons

These high powered and destructive weapons have some pretty hefty risks
that are associated with their use:

Many people consider using nuclear weapons in territorial battles is

completely immoral and unethical. It is the use of fear tactics that strong
arms a country into giving up.
The more common that nuclear weapons become, the more countries that
will obtain this power. This can be very dangerous, especially if volatile
countries get their hands on it.
The development of nuclear weapons is wildly expensive. It takes a large
portion of military allowances in order to maintain and produce these types
of weapons, which are rarely used anyways.
The largest con that comes with these types of weapons is the sheer
power that they possess. Entire towns can be leveled and thousands of
live can be lost in an instant. The effects are absolutely devastating.
Pros and Cons of Nuclear Weapons List of Facts and
Debate
Abhishek Shah wrote on 8 Jul, 2011

Nuclear Energy

2 Comment

Share

ShareThis

Nuclear Weapons are a massively controversial topic with the opposition towards Nuclear
Weapons handily beating the supporters of these arms of mass destruction.Nuclear
Weapons have been foretold as humankind killers since their development during the
Second World War by USA.With the erstwhile USSR developing these nuclear weapons as
well,a Cold War developed between the 2 superpowers.The War was Cold as both sides
possessed enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world many times over.Despite strong
arguments against nuclear weapons,most of the developed nations including the most
powerful ones like USA,Russia,UK,France and China have refused to abandon nuclear
weapons.There have been many movements for the complete abolition of nuclear weapons
which can destroy mankind as we know it.However except for the START reduction of
nuclear weapons by USA and Russia nothing much has been achieved.In fact new unofficial
nuclear weapon powers like India,Pakistan and Israel have joined the Nuclear Club.South
Africa too had developed nuclear weapons before abandoning the idea.Rogue nations such
as North Korea are said to have developed nuclear bombs while Iran too is trying to make
nuclear weapons to counter USA domination of the Middle East.

Most of the arguments against nuclear weapons are too vehement and extremist to get an
idea whether nuclear weapons have any advantages if at all.A listing of facts about nuclear
weapons is necessary for kids to get an idea about the dangerous cons of nuclear
weapons.While there is no doubt that everyone would like to completely remove nuclear
weapons from the world,there are benefits which nuclear power see in them so we need to
examine them also.Unless we can analyze and correct the pros of nuclear weapons we are
unlikely to get a correct solution to the these Armageddon weapons

Pros of Nuclear Weapons

Deterrence Nuclear Weapons are the ultimate form of deterrence as no enemy can hope
to defeat a nuclear weapon power without massive losses to itself.Even a weaker power can
hope to deter a larger power from agression with nuclear weapons and credible delivery
mechanisms for those nuclear weapons.While opponents can say that it does not really give
deterrence as nuclear weapon powers have come very close to wars such as the Cuban
Missile Crisis and the Kargil War between India and Pakistan.
Low Cost Insurance against Aggression Some may look upon Nuclear Weapons as a
low cost way to insure against aggression from large power.Building massive
army,fighters,armour costs a massive deal of money.Compared to that building a few
nuclear bombs is quite cheap.North Korea has used this strategy quite effectively to keep
USA at bay despite provoking the larger power numerous times.
Cons of Nuclear Weapons
1) Nuclear and Radiation Accidents This is the biggest con for Nuclear Weapons as it
can accidentally lead to massive radiation disaster.Though no major incidents have been
reported,nuclear submarines going down and posing a huge danger to the environment
have occurred.Many military personnel have been killed in nuclear weapon accidents .
2) Low level of Radioactivity from Normal Operations The nuclear weapons
industry produces a large volume of low-level radioactive waste in the form of contaminated
items like clothing, hand tools, water purifier resins, and (upon decommissioning) the
materials of which the reactor itself is built
3) Terrorism There is danger that nuclear weapons in politically unstable countries like
Pakistan or Russia may fall into the hands of rogue terrorist elements.These organizations
have little fear of reprisals and can use these nuclear bombs in a cavalier manner against
major cities for frivolous reasons.
4) Finishing Mankind off Nuclear Weapons biggest Con and one that can all debate is
that it has the potential to finish off mankind.A Nuclear War between 2 big powers can
finish off mankind with hundreds of nuclear weapons being used.The few survivors would
die off in the nuclear winter.
5) Disability and Cancers amongst affected Population for Decades Nuclear
Weapons were only used by USA against Japan when 2 low level nuclear bombs were
dropped over Nagasaki and Hiroshima.The Bombs not only killed thousands but also
caused disability and radiation diseases amongst survivors and helpers.These effects were
still being felt even now almost 65 years after the bombs were destroyed in 1945.
6) Environment Disaster These Nuclear Weapons not only kill humans but also
destroy the environment and the wildlife for hundreds of years.The residual radiation kills
all plants and animals making it a dead zone for hundreds of years.The Chernobyl site
where a nuclear power plant disaster took place is still unusable today
7) Diverts Resources from Productive Uses Nuclear Weapons are very costly for
small countries with limited resources like Pakistan and North Korea.While the majority of
the population remains mired in desperate poverty,developing nuclear weapons diverts
precious resources to nuclear weapons programs.Nuclear Delivery Mechanisms like
Fighters,Missiles and Submarines also cost billions of dollars and are need to build an
effective Nuclear Deterrent
8) Nuclear Weapons Testing causes Pollution and Degradation Before Nuclear
Weapons Testing was banned,they used to cause huge pollution of land and water by major
powers.Thousands of Nuclear Tests by the Big Powers resulted in radiation pollution of the
sea and land .

Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy

1. Radioactive Waste : The waste produced by nuclear reactors needs to be disposed off at a safe
place since they are extremely hazardous and can leak radiations if not stored properly. Such
kind of waste emits radiations from tens to hundreds of years. The storage of radioactive waste
has been major bottleneck for the expansion of nuclear programs. The nuclear wastes contain
radio isotopes with long half-lives. This means that the radio isotopes stay in the atmosphere in
some form or the other. These reactive radicals make the sand or the water contaminated. It is
known as mixed waste. The mixed wastes cause hazardous chemical reactions and leads to
dangerous complications. The radioactive wastes are usually buried under sand and are known as
vitrification. But these wastes can be used to make nuclear weapons.
2. Nuclear Accidents : While so many new technologies have been put in place to make sure that
such disasters wont happen again like the ones Chernobyl or more recently Fukushima but the
risk associated with them are relatively high. Even small radiation leaks can cause devastating
effects. Some of the symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fatigue. People who work
at nuclear power plants and live near those areas are at high risk of facing nuclear radiations, if it
happens.
3. Nuclear Radiation : There are power reactors called breeders. They produce plutonium. It is
an element which is not found in the nature however it is a fissionable element. It is a by-product
of the chain reaction and is very harmful if introduced in the nature. It is primarily used to
produce nuclear weapons. Most likely, it is named as dirty bomb.
4. High Cost : Another practical disadvantage of using nuclear energy is that it needs a lot of
investment to set up a nuclear power station. It is not always possible by the developing
countries to afford such a costly source of alternative energy. Nuclear power plants normally
take 5-10 years to construct as there are several legal formalities to be completed and mostly it is
opposed by the people who live nearby.

5. National Risk : Nuclear energy has given us the power to produce more weapons than to
produce things that can make the world a better place to live in. We have to become more careful
and responsible while using nuclear energy to avoid any sort of major accidents. They are hot
targets for militants and terrorist organizations. Security is a major concern here. A little lax in
security can prove to be lethal and brutal for humans and even for this planet.
6. Impact on Aquatic Life : Eutrophication is another result of radioactive wastes. There are
many seminars and conferences being held every year to look for a specific solution. But there is
no outcome as of now. Reports say that radioactive wastes take almost 10,000 years to get back
to the original form.
7. Major Impact on Human Life : We all remember the disaster caused during the Second
World War after the nuclear bombs were dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Even after five
decades of the mishap, children are born with defects. This is primarily because of the nuclear
effect. Do we have any remedy for this? The answer is still no.
8. Fuel Availability : Unlike fossil fuels which are available to most of the countries, uranium is
very scarce resource and exist in only few of the countries. Permissions of several international
authorities are required before someone can even thought of building a nuclear power plant.
9. Non Renewable : Nuclear energy uses uranium which is a scarce resource and is not found in
many countries. Most of the countries rely on other countries for the constant supply of this fuel.
It is mined and transported like any other metal. Supply will be available as long as it is there.
Once all extracted, nuclear plants will not be of any use. Due to its hazardous effects and limited
supply, it cannot be termed as renewable.