Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Reality Check: Where are the world's nuclear weapons?
In 1945, two atomic bombs were used to kill hundreds of innocent civilians and destroy the civilization of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. It has been hoped that these two were the very last nuclear weapons to be used. However, there still are 9,000 nuclear weapons in military service, 1,800 of which are ready to be used at any time. How could humans whose hands are on the launch buttons resist the temptation to push the button when they learn that their country is under attack or believe that an attack is imminent. Remember, on January 13, 2018, a false alert of an impending missile attack was sent via the Emergency Alert System and Commercial Mobile Alert System over television, radio, and cellphones in Hawaii. Though the launch procedures aren’t that simple, they are designed to be carried out quite smoothly and swiftly.
Also, on top of those active nuclear weapons, there are as many as 6,000 retired weapons waiting to be dismantled. Are they safe and secured?
The Nobel Committee awarded the peace prize to then US President Barack Obama in 2009 in a hope to strengthen his influence over nuclear weapons. The committee rewarded the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, ICAN, in 2017 for their longtime commitment and activities towards a nuclear-free world.
Will human ingenuity ever eliminate those unnecessary evils?
Enjoy reading and learning how many nuclear weapons there are in the world and where.