Imagine: you’re at a dinner party with your neighbors when all of a sudden a bulletin warning you of an impending nuclear strike interrupts you. But thank goodness: your neighbor’s house has a bunker that was created for a time like this. Wait—they’re not letting you in? What do you do?
The Twilight Zone is a fictional show, it’s not real and nothing in it will ever happen. Right? Well- not really. The concept of a random nuclear strike isn’t merely a fictional creation, it’s a very real possibility. And the way to save ourselves from it isn’t to build a bunker—it’s far simpler.
In the United States, the President has sole authority over nuclear weapons, meaning that they can launch them at any time for any reason (or without any reason, for that matter). The President could realistically launch a nuclear weapon and end life as we know it because they woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Take Richard Nixon, who made constant threats about his ability to end the world.
What can we do to change this? Implement a No First Use policy.
Under No First Use, which was reintroduced to Congress this year, a law would be established to prevent the United States (the President), from using nuclear weapons first. This would make Americans and the whole world safer. Risk of miscalculation or misunderstanding would be reduced and risk of malicious intent or an unstable President would be reduced.
Be honest- do you really want to know whose lives your friends think are the most important? Or do you want to enjoy your dinner party?
