by Jack » Sat 17 Jun 2006, 15:41:01
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zardoz', 'S')cary thought, indeed, but I don't see it coming to this. Nobody will want to be the first to unleash the genie, because everyone on this planet knows that it will only end one way, with all involved parties no longer existing.
Really? Let us reflect.
1) Suppose that world grain stocks continue to dwindle and we have two crop failures. Hunger is rampant around the world. Hungry people can be volatile and difficult for governments to control.
North Korea is presently playing about with nuclear weapons in order to get various forms of aid. What happens if China is hungry? Will the government turn to internal oppression, or will they engage in nuclear blackmail to feed their people? What will India do? What will the response be?
2) Suppose that Iran produces a viable nuclear warhead, with delivery system. Suppose they're not kidding about Isreal, and they nuke Jerusalem and a couple other spots. Israel responds. China and the U.S. are drawn in. Who blinks?
3) Suppose that world grain stocks continue to dwindle, and some country somewhere decides to hold back more water. Presently, countries have dams on major rivers, and they are holding back water that is needed for irrigation downstream. I seem to recall Kashmir, between India and Pakistan is one such area - there are others, in Iran, Turkey, Isreal/Jordan. Will a nuclear capable country accept another nation's decision to block water?
4) Suppose China decides to become the one superpower. They launch a 10 megaton device and detonate it 50 miles above Kansas. The resulting EMP fries most of the electronic infrastucture in the U.S. They inform the U.S. that if any cities are evacuated, or if any counterstrike is made, they will target U.S. population centers. So if the U.S. launches against China, 60 million U.S. casualties occur. Perhaps 200,000,000 Chinese die. Who wins?
5) Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons. The U.S. launches a limited nuclear strike to disrupt the program. China offers to protect Iran, and the Iranians accept. The Chinese army starts deploying into Iran. What does the U.S. do?
6) Peak Oil occurs. China begins to unravel. The Chinese government informs the world that if it does not get a greater share of oil, it will launch cobalt bombs against the Saudi oil fields. What does the rest of the world do?
Yes, I think there will be ample opportunity for nuclear war. But the good news is....FEMA will be in charge of moving refugees around. They can seize anything they want. Considering how well they handled Katrina, what happens if they must deal with a problem 600 times worse? Y'all have a nice day, now, y'hear?
