Nuclear Weapons

"The human race cannot coexist with nuclear weapons."
-Iccho Itoh

Nuclear weapons have the world divided; while there are dozens of those who are against them -- and for damn good reason -- there are still those who support them, such as Britain’s ferocious ex-prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Essentially, a nuclear weapon is a bomb that uses nuclear fission/fusion to unleash its destructive power. Unlike other bombs, however, nuclear weapons not only destroy its target through blast and/or fire, but also leaves behind radiation that affects the area for years to come. There has only ever been two nuclear weapons detonated throughout history -- on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki -- but the impact on history has been significant. Despite the immediate deaths on both occasions, it is far outweighed by the number of people who died from the long-term effects of radiation. Nuclear weapons remain controversial, with many countries denying they are in possession of them. Countries that do admit to possessing them include the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan and North Korea. The advantages of possessing a nuclear weapon include deterrence and defense, while a key disadvantage is posing a constant threat to countries not in possession.

Nuclear Weapons on AM

The use of nuclear weapons has been the subject of major international debate since their debut, and it’s essential that everyone -- including upstanding gentlemen such as yourself -- understands their impact on the world and the way people react to them. Nuclear weapons have been mentioned on AM before now though; in Alan Sugar’s profile, the British entrepreneur famously said: “If there was a market in mass-produced portable nuclear weapons, we’d market them too." It isn’t only the devastating effects of nuclear weapons that are cause for concern, but what these consequences represent -- the ability for world domination. And if that doesn’t strike fear into your heart, then we’re afraid nothing will.

Nuclear Weapons Fact

More than 95% of all the world’s nuclear weapons are said to be in the United States and Russia.