To nuke or not to nuke?

1. To nuke or not to nuke? The new arms race

2. Missile Madness Terms – Right Side • Warhead – the bomb • Kiloton – 1,000 tons • Megaton – 1 million tons – explosive force of 1 million tons of TNT • MIRV- multiple independently deployable re-entry vehicle – can shoot it out into space; has multiple warheads to hit multiple targets • ICBM – intercontinental ballistic missile • SLBM – sea launched ballistic missile • Tactical Nuclear Warhead – battlefield; small • Strategic Nuclear Warhead – big; threaten an entire nation

3. Process it – Left Side • Directions: create a timeline of the key events in the nuclear arms race. Include the following events with a 1-2 sentences summary: • Hydrogen bomb • MAD • Negotiations (failed) • Test Ban Treaty • Detente • SALTI • ABM • SALT II • START • STARTII • NPT

4. Countries with formal nuclear capabilities • Five nations are formally recognized as nuclear weapons states. They are: • China: between 100 and 200 nuclear warheads • France: approximately 350 strategic (those designed to hit a specific targeted location) weapons • Russia: 4,237 strategic weapons, 2,000 to 3,000 tactical (designed for use in a military battle) weapons, and 8,000 to 10,000 stockpiled weapons • United Kingdom: Less than 160 warheads • The United States: 5,914 strategic weapons, approximately 1,000 tactical weapons, and approximately 3,000 stockpiled warheads.

5. Other nations • North Korea has conducted three nuclear tests • Three countries, India, Pakistan, and Israel, are not formally recognized as nuclear countries, though they are known to posses such weapons. • India and Pakistan underwent a series of matching tests in 1998 (India did a test drop, then Pakistan, then India, then Pakistan, etc.) • Israel has never publicly acknowledged or denied possessing nuclear weapons.

6. Countries pursuing nuclear weapons • Iran: On March 1st, 2009, the top American military official announced Iran now possesses enough materials to produce a nuclear bomb

7. Why do we care? • After the September 11th terrorist attacks, the United States stepped up its research and development of various forms of nuclear weapons • These efforts include research on biological (which release and deliberately infect people, animals, or agriculture with viruses) and chemical (which use chemicals, rather than an explosive force, to create destruction) weapons • The United States plans to eliminate our entire stockpile of chemical weapons by 2023 • In 2001, five Americans were killed and 17 sickened when the nation was subject to a series of letters sent by US mail that were laced with Anthrax; in 2008, the FBI announced they believed they knew who was responsible; the suspect, an American biodefense researcher, killed himself soon after • In September 2002, President Bush issued a secret directive which stated that retaliation options for any type of weapons of mass destruction attack against the United States includes the use of nuclear weapons

8. What can we do? • Nuclear non-proliferation treaty (1968): 189 countries have signed. Limits countries from selling or building nuclear weapons, asks for limited disarmament, and allows for nuclear energy research • The United Nations Security Council has also established special commissions to evaluate whether or not countries are complying with non-nuclear agreements (like in Iraq)

9. So, do we need these? • In your opinion, do nuclear weapons make us more or less safe? Why? • The United States has stated that we have the right to use nuclear weapons in retaliation to any attack that includes WMDs. Do you agree? Why or why not? • Does the United States have the authority to decide which countries get to have nuclear weapons? Why or why not? • Should the United States continue to develop biological or chemical weapons? Why or why not?