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From: ld@hpda.UUCP (Larry Dwyer)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Nuclear exchange. - (nf)
Message-ID: <500@hpda.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 28-Nov-83 19:37:01 EST
Article-I.D.: hpda.500
Posted: Mon Nov 28 19:37:01 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 30-Nov-83 03:30:46 EST
Sender: ld@hpda.UUCP
Organization: Hewlett Packard, Cupertino
Lines: 30

#R:shark:-12200:hpda:2100001:000:958
hpda!ld    Nov 28 16:36:00 1983

    Nuclear weapons as a deterrent:

    ...
    ready to launch them, what's to keep someone from taking advantage of
    that fact?  etc. etc.  (Catch 22)

The deterrent effect comes from the fact that, even though a nation
recognizes the incoming missiles are going to blow them off the face of
the earth, they will launch their arsenal to destroy the nation that
made the preemptive strike.  Thus, a nation that makes a preemptive
strike cannot come out a total winner (deterrence).

    Nuclear arms can destroy the world:

    I don't believe this is true.  I do believe that most life would be
    destroyed, and most likely all human life.  But somewhere, something
    ...
    The point is, that a full-scale nuclear exchange would destroy mankind,
    would that not actually be a blessing for the earth as a whole?

Perhaps it is our lot in life to become the oil reserves for the next
life form to rise to power.


		Larry Dwyer
		ucbvax!hpda!ld