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You bet they do!
Nuclear weapons give a weak, motivated force the opportunity to wreak havoc on a much stronger enemy. Nations deter each other by assuring mutual destruction, but how do you stop a determined foe with money and time from acquiring a weapon and using it against you?
Here we have the $quadrillion question. Consider some alternatives and decide which offers the greatest probability that a major city will be destroyed in the next hundred years.
a) Pursue a policy of low level warfare that in itself terrorizes a broad civilian population and by its very nature keeps the fighting going. Simultaneously pump huge amounts of money into the hands of sympathetic neighboring countries filled with antagonism towards you.
b) Fragment your international alliances, irritate your international competitors, threaten adversaries and divide your own population. Meet internal protests with harsh measures and new security rules.
c) Expand the warfare by bombing countries suspected to be relishing your defeat. If bombing provokes a reaction, escalate hostilities with force. If there is still resistance use tactical and strategic nuclear weapons to prevent or retaliate for military losses.
or
1) Disengage from warfare, withdrawing troops and stopping air strikes while engaging friend and foe alike in discussions focused on mutual interests and needs.
2) Act to reduce suffering by removing land mines, unexpended munitions, weapons, troops fortifications and bases.
3) Provide assistance in rebuilding vital infrastructure especially schools, courts, hospitals and the professions. Forget about profiteering.
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Copenhagen Consensus
: How would the experts prioritize the problems humans face in the world of 2008? Their recommendations include some pretty basic stuff. As you look through the list below you might be suprised to find these are still important problems. In an age of trillion government bailouts could you imagine that an international effort to deliver $75 billion to these priorities is more important to more people than....well almost anything?
If you were wondering how you might express your love, the experts have spoken.
SOLUTION 1 Micronutrient supplements for children (vitamin A and zinc) 2 The Doha development agenda 3 Micronutrient fortification (iron and salt iodization) 4 Expanded immunization coverage for children 5 Biofortification 6 Deworming and other nutrition programs at 7 Lowering the price of schooling 8 Increase and improve girls’ schooling 9 Community-based nutrition promotion 10 Provide support for women’s reproductive role 11 Heart attack acute management 12 Malaria prevention and treatment 13 Tuberculosis case finding and treatment 14 R&D in low-carbon energy technologies 15 Bio-sand filters for household water treatment 16 Rural water supply 17 Conditional cash transfers 18 Peace-keeping in post-conflict situations 19 HIV combination prevention 20 Total sanitation campaign 21 Improving surgical capacity at district hospital level 22 Microfinance 23 Improved stove intervention 24 Large, multipurpose dam in Africa 25 Inspection and maintenance of diesel vehicles 26 Low sulfur diesel for urban road vehicles 27 Diesel vehicle particulate control technology 28 Tobacco tax 29 Global Warming R&D and mitigation 30 Global Warming Mitigation only :: Continue reading...
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