'I don't believe that nuclear arms help to prevent major wars' Do you agree or disagree?

Depends on the context, if some small country wanted to bomb a country with nukes they wud think twice, but personally i dont think people should ha\/e guns ne\/er mind nukes..

(Every time I edit my post, it keeps leapfrogging down the thread.) I would like to create an international army which would consist of troops from every nation in the world. Then I would make war illegal and have the international army enforce that law. The international army would ensure the security of every nation, keeping peace throughout the world as well as helping to rescue people from genocide and disaster. I'd like to see it controlled by the United Nations but a truly independent United Nations that wasn't dominated by one powerful country (or group of countries).

I'm more worried about accidents. Didn't the US just lose contact with a bunch of bombs?

Nuclear weapons do have a deterrent effect and may have prevented a serious conflict breaking out during the cold war, they may also have prevented a US invasion of North Korea during George W Bush’s era if some commentators are to be believed. However, these (hard to define and slight) benefits need to be measured against the risk – i.e. possible total annihilation of mankind. In addition, there’s a strong argument that whilst the deterrent factor might work in a two-nation superpower face-off, this is unlikely to be the case in an era where many nations have nuclear weapons and there is no clear balance of power. With more and more nations owning nuclear weapons the risk of a mistake, or a Dr Strangeglove-style madman, are substantially increased. Other risks include nuclear weapons getting into the hands of terrorists. However, the threat of global annihilation does bring one positive thing; stories set in the aftermath of a nuclear war. My favour it the Chrysalids, by John Wyndham, I’m sure you have your own.

After years in the Aussie Army as a Combat Engineer i have to say nukes are only an issue for smaller / poorer countries. New missile defence systems mean countries like UK / US / Aus / China / Japan etc can shoot nukes down before they are above their cities and most likely cause fallout on some poor country below where they detonate the nuke. They dont prevent or cause wars. they create conflict. defence budgets across the glove spent on like say... infrastructure agriculture etc could end world famine and poverty almost instantly... i was part of the machine of war for years and that war existed far before my time. They blamed nukes... i blame stupidity and greed. and well wisher... thats what the UN attempts. I hope my grandkids dont fight in the same wars i fought in..... but its scary as its possible. I am become death, eater of worlds Dan :)

Terrence Oblong i agree... i love me a good dystopia story:)

id love a world where we don't need armies, but humans (bless our cotton socks) are too passionate to control. Love and religion have caused so much more death than anything else. i dont plan on being a chaste athiest..... and so the conflict will continue. :D

to unite the world under one army sounds debatebly like a dictatorship. i wont discuss specific conflicts. Dan :P

i think i get your ideal.. your ethos on the idea. but many would view it in an oppressive light. in afghan / iraq ... a foreign soldier is a foreign soldier... not to be trusted. The army runs lectures these days called winning te war of hearts and minds. Since its whispered amongst military leaders that the war isnt going to end.. or be won, then we have to win the hearts and minds of as many poeple as we can so the next generation doesnt take up arms against anyone. we dont need a dominant army, i personally believe we need incredible diplomacy.

i built medical facilities for mine victims with the UN. if that answers your question :P

And for those who choose not to sign up for this global might?

im australian... its an aussie approach

How can an american or any soldier behave when they walk through the streets and we are spat on and abused. it takes a strong heart to look past the hate to the hurt. and then after fighting for years they go home and hear that they never found WMD's. Now they have to somehow ingest that information back into thier lives. I have seen US soldiers behave in a wonderful manner... every army has its bad apples, but remember they are in the job of killing. you watch enough of your mates die... it's hard not to hate... thats why armies have padres. Hopefully to help them through an overwhelming emotional response. but you are right every negative confrontation takes us another step back.

As Mike Tyson famously said: 'As long as war is regarded as wicked, it will always have its fascination, when it is looked upon as being vulgar, it will cease to be popular.'

Actually Styx, it was Oscar Wilde, not Tyson who said that (can you seriously imagine Tyson having the intelligence to say anything so clever and articulate?) http://www.ukauthors.com http://www.ukapress.com

I understand what your saying Danrama. But I wasn't talking about hatred born out of experience, I was talking about racism that young white working class males learn from childhood and take with them wherever they go. To be fair and honest, I can't really comment on American soldiers because I'm not American, I live in Scotland but I did go to school with alot of boys who later went into the army who were very definitely both racist and aggressively racist and I can only assume that their attitude towards non-white people was not unique. I believe that since there is institutionalized racism in my country then there is bound to be institutionalized racism in the armed forces of my country. BTW, I am half asian which might account for my view of White British Males but again, you are Australian and perhaps White Australian Males aren't as racist. It makes me shudder to think, though, that boys I saw racially bullying other pupils at school might have wielded power over non-white people in Iraq.

Australia is pretty multiculteral. of course we have our share of close minded bigots, but I have to say I had a man who was half iraqi half afghan in my training platoon and he wasn't racially abused at all. lets remember racism does not send a civilised country to war, politics do.but unlike the vietnam style revolutions people are smarter these days and they praise the soldiers and damn the pollies.

Humans are a terrible creature, blessed with the mind to recognise that we are actually on this beautiful planet earth, but cursed so that we can't see past our own ignorance. A world army is heading towards a one world go\/ernment. - Won't be long now anyway. When that happens the war will come knocking at your door, you will choose between joining in with the community struggle or close your door and watch the bullshit the telly will be spewing at ya, all in fa\/our of the world go\/ernment. it is not the people of the UK or the US who ha\/e any problem with Afhanistan people or iraq people, it is the go\/ernments of the UK and US. Till we understand the full impact capitalist rule makes on the world we will ne\/er get to the bottom of it. There is one word that creates all the horror of war and po\/erty. that is profit. Remo\/e profit from all the economic models and we will start to see equality.