The nuclear option

摘要

Security worries, political shifts in Scotland, spending cuts and the looming deadline for renewal mean the UK's nuclear weapons are under welcome new scrutiny. Those who want to update the Trident system - four submarines based in Scotland carrying nuclear missiles - often focus on the jobs it sustains, keeping the UK "safe" and its support for science and engineering. Opponents talk about the vast casualties and nuclear winter if such weapons were used and the £100 billion cost. What's clear is that the UK cannot afford the most expensive conventional military capabilities, such as aircraft carriers and an army that can support several big invasions, and pay for new nuclear warheads and submarines. The Trident fleet will be retired in the late 2020s, but the time needed to build replacements means renewal decisions are just months away. So now is the time to show leadership and commit to decommissioning nuclear weapons. We can't uninvent them but we can follow the lead of other nuclear capable nations that have chosen not to have them.