Westminster: Bishops call for total nuclear disarmament (UK)

[struggle4progress]

LONDON - 22 November 2006 - 275 words

The Bishops' Conference of England and Wales issued the following statement yesterday:

The very existence of nuclear weapons has always posed grave moral questions. Their uniquely destructive power means that they belong in a different category from any other weapons; this has always been recognised in the particular attention with which they have been regarded by the Holy See and by our own Bishops' Conference. In his World Day of Peace message for 2006, Pope Benedict XVI, in pressing for progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament, argues powerfully that the retention of nuclear weapons does not enhance the security of their possessors or the peace of the world.

The United Kingdom is now at a moral and strategic crossroads. Its present nuclear-weapon capability is not expected to be sustainable beyond the early 2020s without major new investment in renewal or replacement. Initial decisions about its continuance need to be taken within the lifetime of the present Parliament, which could extend to 2010.

The Church has always been clear in its teaching about the vital necessity for eventual total nuclear disarmament. Our judgement is that, by decommissioning its nuclear weapons, the UK now has a unique opportunity to offer the international community an approach to security and legitimate self-defence without the unconscionable threat of nuclear destruction. At the same time it could give a new impetus to the wider process towards total nuclear disarmament.

We recognise the Government's grave responsibilities in these matters of security, both for our countries and the wider world. We urge the government to take a long-term view and act with courageous leadership by seeking to make this breakthrough towards total nuclear disarmament.

http://www.indcatholicnews.com/nucdis328.html

[kenny blankenship]

1. well that's a fine idea, but

what if the Americans, or Russians, or Chinese, or French, or Indians, or Pakistanis, or Israelis, or North Koreans or any combination of the aforesaid nations refuse to give up their nuclear weapons?

I know it's a crazy hypothetical to suggest these other countries will hang on to their bombs, but what if?

[struggle4progress]

2. Your argument, pursued in a logical manner, suggests that every non-nuclear

state should seek nuclear weapons as long as any other state holds such weapons. The non-nuclear states will certainly feel more comfortable if the nuclear states begin disarming, as most promised when joining the NPT.

Here are the current arsenals:
http://www.cdi.org/nuclear/database/nukestab.html