Nuclear Weapons and Their Impact
Nuclear weapons are enormous and powerful explosions that derive their energy from joining or splitting tiny particles inside an atom. Studies have shown that the initial blast of a nuclear bomb is capable of destroying a large city (Atwood & Munro, 2013). Moreover, nuclear weapons produce large amounts of radiation which causes radiation illnesses after the initial blast. Currently, there are five legally recognized nuclear weapon countries all of which have signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The countries include the United States, France, Britain, Russia, and China. However, countries such as North Korea, Iran, India, and Pakistan are not parties to the treaty but have nuclear weapons (Atwood & Munro, 2013). Nuclear weapons usually threaten the world's security in several ways. First, there are no clear mechanisms and strategies to ensure terrorist organizations do not get hold of nuclear weapons. Furthermore, the weapons can make up for imbalances in conventional military powers hence making it hard to create order in the world. Indeed, it is evident that nuclear weapons have not made the world safer, instead, they have made the world more dangerous.
The Increase in Nuclear Weapons
Additionally, despite the existence of the Non-Proliferation Treaty which ensures nuclear energy is appropriately used and consequently prevents the spread of nuclear weapons, the number of nuclear weapons in the world continues to increase. It is believed there are over fifteen thousand nuclear weapons in the world. Russia and the United States maintain approximately one thousand, eight hundred nuclear weapons all of which are on high alert status and launch within minutes of a warning (Atwood & Munro, 2013). Moreover, countries such as China are pushing for nuclear triads. Nuclear triad makes a country more dangerous since it allows a country to launch its nuclear weapons from strategic aircraft, nuclear-missile-armed submarines, and land stations. Once China achieves nuclear triad, it will be in a position to launch long, intermediate, and short-range ballistic missiles.
Cyber-Attack Vulnerabilities
Moreover, nuclear weapons systems are vulnerable to cyber-attack which means terrorists can use countries' nuclear weapons against its citizens. A study done by International Relations Thinktank Chatham House showed that the United States' and British nuclear weapons system is increasingly becoming vulnerable to black hat hackers due to their inability to keep up with fast-moving technology and slowness of institutional change (Dunn Cavelty, 2013). Note, most nuclear weapons were invented and manufactured before computer technology was advanced, so, most countries did not give enough attention to potential cyber vulnerabilities. Also, the lack of adequate cyber-security on nuclear weapons systems has made it possible for countries to initiate cyber-attacks on other countries. For example, in 2017, it is believed the United States infiltrated the supply chain of North Korea's nuclear weapon system that led to a test failure (Dunn Cavelty, 2013). Furthermore, most aspects of nuclear weapon systems in the United States and the United Kingdom are managed by private firms hence increasing the supply chain vulnerabilities. Lastly, nuclear weapon systems often rely on interconnectivity which means if a hacker alters one part of a system, it will affect other systems without the technicians knowing what is happening.
Motives for Nuclear Weapon Development
Also, contrary to the argument that nuclear weapons are developed for security reasons, most countries develop nuclear weapons for prestige and power. In the contemporary world, for a country to be a superpower, it has to have nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons help a country project its power in a particular region. For example, when India and France started their nuclear programs, they did not have any external threats. France developed its nuclear weapon system to restore its power status which had declined after World War 2 while India developed nuclear weapon system to acquire power and command more respect (Atwood & Munro, 2013). The ill motives behind the development of nuclear weapons have put the world's security in great jeopardy since countries with nuclear weapons can break international rules without having to worry about the consequences. Moreover, nuclear weapons and the attitude of countries that possess them have made the work of international organizations such as the United Nations very hard.
Tension and Threats
Nuclear weapons also create unwanted tension between countries. Over the years, North Korea has continuously threatened the world's security using nuclear weapons. The country withdrew from the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003 and embarked on vigorous nuclear weapons development (McInnis et al., 2017). Since 2006, North Korea has tested six sophisticated nuclear weapons (McInnis et al., 2017). Moreover, despite the country being a member of the Geneva protocol and Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention, evidence shows that North Korea has offensive biological weapons which are against the rules of the two organizations. To make the matter worse, in 2017 North Korea successfully tested a thermonuclear weapon which has a minimum range of 5,500 kilometers (McInnis et al., 2017). Kim Jong-un, the North Korean President, has also threatened the United States on several occasions. For instance, in September 2017, he stated that the United States is within North Korea's missiles and that the nuclear missiles' button is always on his desk (McInnis et al., 2017). However, the tension between the two countries has greatly reduced in the recent months after North Korean President Kim Jong-un and American President Donald Trump held a friendly meeting and signed an agreement stating North Korea would cooperate in the denuclearization program.
Risk of Terrorism
Additionally, the rise in the number of nuclear weapons in the world increases the risk of terrorist organizations acquiring nuclear bombs, technology, or materials. In the recent past, terrorist organizations such as Chechnya-based separatists, Al Qaeda, Aum Shinrikyo, and Lashkar-e-Taiba have demonstrated interests in acquiring nuclear weapons. Although western countries try to limit access to nuclear materials, there are several places terrorists can acquire nuclear materials, for example, the Global Stockpile for Nuclear Weapons which is about 23,360 (Ferguson & Potter, 2012). Note, terrorists only need twenty-five kilograms of highly enriched uranium to make a nuclear bomb. Also, an increase in the availability of nuclear materials is likely to increase the cost of the European Union on the fight against terrorism. Undoubtedly, the cost of fighting terrorism is high. A study done by Research and Development Europe showed that the European Union lost approximately 180 billion euros due to terrorism between 2004 and 2006 (Khan, 2013). In the future, the cost is likely to increase since the European Union will be regulating and dealing with a more dangerous weapon.
Risks and Violations
Furthermore, nuclear weapons increase the risk of military professionals committing war crimes. Unlike most weapons, nuclear weapons are uncontrollable in space and time. They are designed for mass killing which makes it impossible for military professionals to distinguish soldiers from innocent civilians. Also, it is reckless to place the safety of millions of people under a few military professionals. Note, people are reckless emotional and tend to make wrong decisions under stress. Moreover, the usage of nuclear weapons would cause devastating environmental and climate effects which would lead to unspeakable suffering for the coming generations. The argument that nuclear weapons are protecting the world is misguided. Instead, a small minority of countries is holding the rest of the world ransom. Additionally, the deployment of nuclear weapons would violate International Humanitarian Law which has helped maintain world security and peace for decades (Atwood & Munro, 2013). The law prohibits countries from using chemical weapons, poisoned weapons, cluster munitions, blinding laser weapons, and explosive projectiles that are four hundred grams or less.
Acceleration of the Arms Race
Lastly, embracing nuclear weapons will only accelerate the arms race which is already threatening to destroy the world. One can only be naive to think nuclear weapons will be the last mass destruction weapons countries with nuclear weapons will produce. Chances are they will continue exploring new forms of weapons that are more dangerous than nuclear weapons to maintain their power and prestige. Note, the key reason why Russia developed nuclear weapons was that the United States had successfully ended World War 2 using nuclear weapons and Russia felt threatened. As history has shown, the arms race often has a negative impact on the economy and security. For instance, the 20th-century arms race that involved Germany and Britain led to World War 1, which resulted in the deaths of approximately twenty million people (Atwood & Munro, 2013). The current arms race has caused mistrust among powerful countries, hence affecting the denuclearization process. For instance, Israel, which is believed to be among the countries with the most nuclear weapons, has continuously denied it has nuclear weapons.
The Overall Impact
In sum, nuclear weapons are capable of producing enormous and powerful explosions that can destroy a whole city. Some of the countries that have nuclear weapons include the United States, China, Russia, France, North Korea, and Britain. Contrary to some people's beliefs, nuclear weapons do not make the world safer. Instead, they compromise the world's security in several ways. First, nuclear weapon systems are vulnerable to cyber-attack, which means terrorists can use a country's nuclear weapons against its citizens. Also, most countries develop nuclear weapons for the wrong reasons. For instance, the key reason why France developed its nuclear weapon system was to restore its power status, which was lost during the Second World War. Moreover, nuclear weapons have created unnecessary tension in the world. For instance, North Korea's President, Kim Jong-un, has repeatedly threatened America, stating the nuclear missiles' button is always on his desk. Furthermore, an increase in access to nuclear weapons by terrorists has made the work of the European Union and the United Nations very difficult since they are dealing with weapons that can wipe out a whole city. Undoubtedly, nuclear weapons have not made the world a safer place. Instead, the weapons have accelerated the arms race, which has deteriorated the world's peace.
References
Atwood, D., " Munro, E. (2013). Security in a World without Nuclear Weapons: Visions and Challenges.
Dunn Cavelty, M. (2013). From cyber-bombs to political fallout: Threat representations with an impact in the cyber-security discourse. International Studies Review, 15(1), 105-122.
Ferguson, C. D., " Potter, W. C. (2012). The four faces of nuclear terrorism. Routledge.
Khan, M. T. (2013). The Social, Political and Economic Effects of the War on Terror: Pakistan 2009 To 2011. ISSRA PAPERS, 65.
McInnis, K. J., Feickert, A., Manyin, M. E., Hildreth, S. A., Nikitin, M. B. D., " Chanlett-Avery, E. (2017). The North Korean nuclear challenge: military options and issues for congress. Congressional Research Service.
