Time to scrap Trident.

[EddieM]

The reasons are :

We are a part of NATO with nuclear capability.
What that means is that if the US getts into a major kerfuffle with the Soviets and missiles get launched - then every major town and city in the UK would get vaporised. The same fate for France - but not the other European countries as they are not nuclear empowered. Brilliant. Well done. When you and your kids are just shadows on the pavement - do you really care about revenge?

Secondly, the most likely use of nuclear arms is by misunderstanding or technical glitch. Use it or lose it makes very itchy trigger fingers.

Thirdly, a Hiroshima sized bomb fits quite comfortably in a transit van. If terrorists got hold of such a weapon and detonated it in London, then who are you going to retaliate against with Trident? You can't nuke an ideology.

So you see, Trident is a useless and redundant weapon of the cold war.
It doesn't give you safety - it threatens your very existence.
Use the £100 billion saved for education (including the scrapping of faith schools). Beef up our police forces, protect our borders. Wadya reckon?

Apart from the fact I understand we don't have land based nukes, just Vanguard subs. Regardless of nukes we'd taken out because of our hugely strategic location.

 

[joe-90]

You may be right.

 

[empip]

One point of view.

...The real reason why the Government decided that there must be a second generation of Trident submarines is to maintain in Britain the capability of building nuclear-powered submarines...

http://www.david-morrison.org.uk/nuclear-weapons/trident-real-reason.htm

-0-

 

[Doug99]

we need independent defence,did the u.s.a back us up in the falklands, .......

In 1982 the Yanks gave us their more modern air-air missiles for our harriers. They also provided real time satellite imagery and intelligence updates in support of our naval task force and ground troops.

 

[JBR]

we need independent defence,did the u.s.a back us up in the falklands

Did the Yanks back us up in 1939? Three years later they did, but only after the Nips had attacked Hawaii!

 

[JBR]

If the Muslims aren't with us - then they are against us. Tell them to declare their allegiance to the UK, tell them to join our armed forces to protect their home. If they won't, then I can see the time when internment comes back. If you aren't with us - we want you out of the way.

I'm with you there.

However, as someone replied, there are too many. Perhaps a better strategy would be to inter those who do all the shouting and demanding that our police go to hell, etc.

Edit: I meant 'intern', of course. Then again...

 

[JBR]

Might as well give up on defence altogether then Joe? Do away with the forces... Just think of the money we'll save.

I thought we were already in the process of doing that.

 

[JBR]

Apart from the fact I understand we don't have land based nukes, just Vanguard subs. Regardless of nukes we'd taken out because of our hugely strategic location.

And the American bases that are still on this island. Surely they'd be targeted whether or not we had our own nukes and, bearing in mind that Russian ICBMs are not particularly accurate, I'm sure some of our own cities might disappear at the same time.

 

[Belboz]

Did the Yanks back us up in 1939? Three years later they did, but only after the Nips had attacked Hawaii!

Not heard of the Lend Lease Act then?

 

[JBR]

Did the Yanks back us up in 1939? Three years later they did, but only after the Nips had attacked Hawaii!

Not heard of the Lend Lease Act then?

Yes, wasn't that when they lent us some knackered old ships on the agreement that we'd give them the right to set up their bases (in perpetuity?) on our land?
You don't get owt for nowt.

 

[EddieM]

Apart from the fact I understand we don't have land based nukes, just Vanguard subs. Regardless of nukes we'd taken out because of our hugely strategic location.

And the American bases that are still on this island. Surely they'd be targeted whether or not we had our own nukes and, bearing in mind that Russian ICBMs are not particularly accurate, I'm sure some of our own cities might disappear at the same time.

More to do with NATO strike command is based in High Wycombe.

 

[EddieM]

Did the Yanks back us up in 1939? Three years later they did, but only after the Nips had attacked Hawaii!

Not heard of the Lend Lease Act then?

Yes, wasn't that when they lent us some knackered old ships on the agreement that we'd give them the right to set up their bases (in perpetuity?) on our land?
You don't get owt for nowt.

Hardly... it was a yank led systematic destruction of the empire.

 

[Belboz]

Yes, wasn't that when they lent us some knackered old ships on the agreement that we'd give them the right to set up their bases (in perpetuity?) on our land?
You don't get owt for nowt.

Lot more to it than that JBR

Personally, I have no liking for the septics but they did supply a vast amount of munitions, military equipment, food and cash prior to Pearl.

 

[jockscott]

Trident means that in the case of all out war - we all get vaporised. We are a nuclear target. Use it or lose it. The Russians have your location programmed into their missiles right now.

You seriously think that if the UK got rid of it's nuclear weapons, Russia would re-aim it's nuclear arsenal (or at least part of it) away from the UK ? Not an ice cube in hell's chance. The UK would still be a target.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I confidently predict Russia will not attack us.

If I am wrong I will become a racist.