Reply #168: Do you remember MAD?

[followthemoney]

Mutually Assured Destruction.

No one would attack first because the result woud be suicide. The policy exercised by the leaders of the world during the cold war. The policy that prevented the U.S. from nuking Vietnam. Self interested behavior intended to avoid sure death. Does this ring a bell with you?

When you are driving a car and another driver annoys you, the issue of the personal damage you may incur prevents you from slamming your car into the other to destroy it.

One developes a sense of empathy, concern for the other, when faced with death. A respect for life developes when faced with your own death. See "Fog of War" for an idea of how close we have come to death in a nuclear inferno.

The world would be safer with all nations acting on their best behavior knowing that the party is over if you don't.

Besides, proliferation is unavoidable and inevitable. If not sooner than later this situation will be dealt with. The world has been informed by the preemptive attack by Bush that disarmament is not an option.