Doom from the depths
By Lawrence Wittner | International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War | July 7, 2014
Ever since the horrors of submarine warfare became a key issue during World War I, submarines have had a sinister reputation. And the building of new, immensely costly, nuclear-armed submarines by the US government and others may soon raise the level of earlier anxiety to a nuclear nightmare.
This spring, the US government continued its steady escalation of research and development funding for the replacement of its current nuclear submarine fleet through one of the most expensive shipbuilding undertakings in American history — the phasing-in, starting in 2031, of 12 new SSBN(X) submarines. Each of these nuclear-powered vessels, the largest submarines the Navy has ever built, will carry up to 16 Trident ballistic missiles fitted with multiple nuclear warheads. All in all, this new submarine fleet is expected to deploy about 1,000 nuclear warheads — 70 percent of US government’s strategic nuclear weapons.
From the standpoint of the US military, nuclear-armed submarines are very attractive. Capable of being placed in hidden locations around the world and remaining submerged for months at a time, they are less vulnerable to attack than are ground-launched or air-launched nuclear weapons, the other two legs of the “nuclear triad.” Moreover, they can wreak massive death and destruction upon “enemy” nations quite rapidly. The Defense Department’s Quadrennial Defense Review of 2014 explained that the US Navy’s future fleet would “deliver the required presence and capabilities and address the most important war-fighting scenarios.”
From the standpoint of civilians, the new Trident submarine fleet is somewhat less appealing. Strategic nuclear weapons are the most destructive weapons in world history, and the use of only one of them over a large city could annihilate millions of people instantly. If the thousands of such weapons available to the US government and other governments were employed in war, they would incinerate most of the planet, reducing it to charred rubble. Thereafter, radioactivity, disease, nuclear winter, and starvation would end most remaining life on earth.
Of course, even in an accident, such weapons could do incredible damage. And, over the years, nuclear-armed submarines have been in numerous accidents. In February 2009, a British and a French submarine, both nuclear-powered and armed with nuclear missiles, collided underwater in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Although the two vessels were fitted with state-or-the-art detection equipment, neither spotted the other until it was too late to avert their collision. Fortunately, they were moving very slowly at the time, and the damage was limited (though enormously expensive to repair). But a sharper collision could have released vast quantities of radioactive fuel and flung their deadly nuclear warheads across the ocean floor.
In addition, when the dangers are so immense, it is worth keeping in mind that people, like the high-tech nuclear submarines, are not always infallible or reliable. Submarine crews — living in cramped quarters, bored, and isolated for months at a time — could well be as plagued by the poor morale, dishonesty, drug use, and incompetence found among their counterparts at land-based nuclear missile facilities.
Taxpayers, particularly, might be concerned about the unprecedented expense of this new submarine fleet. According to most estimates, building the 12 SSBN(X) submarines will cost about $100 billion. And there will be additional expenditures for the missiles, nuclear warheads, and yearly maintenance, bringing the total tab to what the Pentagon estimated, three years ago, at $347 billion. The expected cost is so astronomical, in fact, that the Navy, frightened that this expenditure will prevent it from paying for other portions of its shipbuilding program, has insisted that the money come from a special fund outside of its budget. This spring, Congress took preliminary steps along these lines.
People might be forgiven for feeling some bewilderment at this immense US government investment in a new nuclear weapons system — one slated to last well into the 2070s. After all, back in April 2009, amid much fanfare, President Barack Obama proclaimed “America’s commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.” This was followed by a similar commitment to a nuclear weapons-free world made by the members of the UN Security Council, including five nuclear-armed nations, among them the United States. But, as this nuclear weapons buildup indicates, such commitments seem to have been tossed down the memory hole.
In arguing for the new Trident submarine fleet, US military leaders have pointed to the fact that other nations are maintaining or building nuclear-armed submarines. And they are correct about that. France and Britain are maintaining their current fleets, although Britain is on the verge of beginning the construction of a new one with US assistance; Israel reportedly possesses one; China is apparently ready to launch one in 2014; India is set to launch its own in 2015; and Pakistan might be working to develop one. Meanwhile, Russia is modernizing its own submarine ballistic missile fleet.
Even so, the current US nuclear-armed submarine fleet is considerably larger than any developed or being developed by other nations. Also, the US government’s new Trident fleet, now on the drawing boards, is slated to be 50 percent larger than the new, modernized Russian fleet and, in addition, far superior technologically. Indeed, other nations currently turning out nuclear-armed submarines – like China and Russia — are reportedly launching clunkers.
In this context, there is an obvious alternative to the current race to deploy the world’s deadliest weapons in the ocean depths. The nuclear powers could halt their building of nuclear-armed submarines and eliminate their present nuclear-armed submarine fleets. This action would not only honor their professed commitment to a nuclear weapons-free world, but would save their nations from making enormous expenditures and from the possibility of experiencing a catastrophe of unparalleled magnitude.
Why not act now, before this arms race to disaster goes any further?
Share this:
Related
July 7, 2014 - Posted by aletho | Economics, Militarism, Progressive Hypocrite, Timeless or most popular, War Crimes | military spending, nuclear submarines, nuclear triad, Nuclear weapons, Trident, United States
4 Comments »
Leave a reply to ribeekah grant Cancel reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Featured Video
ARE LITHIUM AND VITAMIN D THE MISSING KEYS TO MENTAL HEALTH?
or go to
Aletho News Archives – Video-Images
From the Archives
The FDA cover-up that led to the approval of the Pfizer vaccine
By Jon Rappoport | No More Fake News | May 25, 2021
As I’ve been documenting for the past year, the COVID experts have been contradicting themselves six ways from Sunday. As charlatans, they’re abject failures. They can’t keep their own story straight.
Thanks to an alert reader, I’ve come across a new blockbuster.
BY THEIR OWN STANDARDS, the FDA should never have allowed the Pfizer COVID vaccine to be shot into a single arm. The Agency’s Emergency Use Authorization was a crime—according to their own data.
Here we go.
The document, posted on the FDA website, is titled, “Vaccines and Related Biological Products; Advisory Committee Meeting; FDA Briefing Document Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.” [1]
It is dated December 10, 2020. The date tells us that all the information in the document is taken from the Pfizer clinical trial, based on which the FDA authorized the vaccine for public use.
A key quote is buried on page 42: “Among 3410 total cases of suspected but unconfirmed COVID-19 in the overall study population, 1594 occurred in the vaccine group vs. 1816 in the placebo group [who received a saltwater shot].”
Those shocking numbers have never seen the light of day in news media.
The comparative numbers reveal that the vaccine was not effective at preventing COVID-19. It was certainly not 50% more effective than no vaccine at all—the standard for FDA Emergency Use Authorization. … continue
Blog Roll
-
Join 2,757 other subscribers
Visits Since December 2009
- 6,754,697 hits
Looking for something?
Archives
Calendar
Categories
Aletho News Civil Liberties Corruption Deception Economics Environmentalism Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism Fake News False Flag Terrorism Full Spectrum Dominance Illegal Occupation Mainstream Media, Warmongering Malthusian Ideology, Phony Scarcity Militarism Progressive Hypocrite Russophobia Science and Pseudo-Science Solidarity and Activism Subjugation - Torture Supremacism, Social Darwinism Timeless or most popular Video War Crimes Wars for IsraelTags
9/11 Afghanistan Africa al-Qaeda Australia BBC Benjamin Netanyahu Brazil Canada CDC Central Intelligence Agency China CIA CNN Colombia Covid-19 COVID-19 Vaccine Da’esh Donald Trump Egypt European Union Facebook FBI FDA France Gaza Germany Google Hamas Hebron Hezbollah Hillary Clinton Human rights India Iran Iraq ISIS Israel Israeli settlement Japan Jerusalem Joe Biden Korea Latin America Lebanon Libya Middle East National Security Agency NATO New York Times North Korea NSA Obama Pakistan Palestine Qatar Russia Sanctions against Iran Saudi Arabia Syria The Guardian Turkey Twitter UAE UK Ukraine United Nations United States USA Venezuela Washington Post West Bank WHO Yemen ZionismRecent Comments
peterjohnarnold on Israel Accepts ‘Not Good… roberthstiver on Hamas: Biden’s ceasefire ideas… roberthstiver on DOJ: Americans Can’t Hear The… rediscover911com on Israel Accepts ‘Not Good… roberthstiver on The Israeli regime is in legal… 5 dancing shlomos on Senior German Lawmaker Demands… 5 dancing shlomos on Houthis’ Red Sea Blockade Make… Bill Francis on American Caesar and Constituti… Dennis Wilson on Senior German Lawmaker Demands… peterjohnarnold on France plans to send military… peterjohnarnold on The US is the World Leader wit… peterjohnarnold on The Israeli regime is in legal…
Aletho News
- Zelensky Says US Hegemony Will End If He Loses, But That Already Happened
- Strategic developments in Ukraine – a new Cuban missile crisis?
- ARE LITHIUM AND VITAMIN D THE MISSING KEYS TO MENTAL HEALTH?
- COVID Nonsense Helped Raise Awareness of the Vaccine Industry’s Real Agenda
- The “Energy Transition” Won’t Happen
- The amount of copper needed to build EVs is ‘impossible for mining companies to produce’
- Labour’s energy claims are ‘divorced from reality’
- DOJ: Americans Can’t Hear The Biden-Hur ‘Memory Interview’ Because of ‘Deepfakes’
- Google Tightens Influence on UK Elections with New “Moderation” Tactics
- Hamas: Biden’s ceasefire ideas are positive, but not enough
If Americans Knew
- Mixed messages from Israel on ceasefire plan; US optimistic – Day 240
- Norman Finkelstein blows whistle on “Jewish supremacists”, Israel lobby
- Gaza famine intensifies; Israeli government is on a collision course – Day 239
- Stories of love, loss, and courage from Gaza
- Ceasefire deal on the table, as Gazans survey the wreckage – Day 238
- Israel, The ICC, And The Disintegration Of Our Species
- Gaza’s Stolen Healers: Hundreds of Palestinian Doctors Disappeared Into Israeli Detention
- German foreign minister says she saw nonexistent Oct. 7 rape video
- After Israeli withdrawal, “the devastation is colossal” in Jabiliya – Day 237
- Israel is trying to designate UNRWA as a terrorist org – Day 236
Richie Allen
- Today’s Show Is Cancelled – Back Tomorrow Thursday May 30th
- Call Richie Today Monday March 11th From 4.30pm
- Connect To The Richie Allen Show WhatsApp Today
- NHS Asks Patients To Choose From 12 Genders, 10 sexual Preferences & 159 Religions
- The Richie Allen Show Moves To A New Time Slot From Monday Nov 20th
- Starmer Will Sack Shadow Ministers Who Vote For Gaza Ceasefire
- AI Tool Can Predict Heart Attacks Years In Advance
- Nepal Bans TikTok To Preserve Social Harmony
- Bloke Appointed Boss Of Womb Health Charity
- WHO – “Gaza’s Biggest Hospital Becoming A Cemetery”
No Tricks Zone
- Half Of German E-Car Buyers Regret Their Purchase Or Lease!
- Oops…Cleaner Fuels Mean Less Clouds, More Warming!
- Megafossil Carbon Dating Indicates Sweden Was 2-3°C Warmer Than Today During The Last Glacial
- Met Office Warns: Extremely Wet Summer…After Warning Droughts Would Become More Frequent
- New Study: China’s Loess Plateau 7-8°C Warmer Than Today For Much Of The Last 4000 Years
- German Green Movement “A Run Amok At The Expense Of People And Nature”
- New Study: Warming Temperatures In China The ‘Main Factor’ Explaining Rising Crop Yields
- Alps’ Glacier History Contradicts German High Court Claim Of CO2 “Linear Relationship”
- Climate Research Paper Finds Tropical Storm Variability Linked Mostly To Oceanic Cycles
- HadCRUT Has Now Fully Removed 0.15°C From The 1940s Warmth ‘Blip’ As Proposed In 2009 E-mails
More Links
Contact:
atheonews (at) gmail.com
Disclaimer
This site is provided as a research and reference tool. Although we make every reasonable effort to ensure that the information and data provided at this site are useful, accurate, and current, we cannot guarantee that the information and data provided here will be error-free. By using this site, you assume all responsibility for and risk arising from your use of and reliance upon the contents of this site.
This site and the information available through it do not, and are not intended to constitute legal advice. Should you require legal advice, you should consult your own attorney.
Nothing within this site or linked to by this site constitutes investment advice or medical advice.
Materials accessible from or added to this site by third parties, such as comments posted, are strictly the responsibility of the third party who added such materials or made them accessible and we neither endorse nor undertake to control, monitor, edit or assume responsibility for any such third-party material.
The posting of stories, commentaries, reports, documents and links (embedded or otherwise) on this site does not in any way, shape or form, implied or otherwise, necessarily express or suggest endorsement or support of any of such posted material or parts therein.
The word “alleged” is deemed to occur before the word “fraud.” Since the rule of law still applies. To peasants, at least.
Fair Use
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more info go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
DMCA Contact
This is information for anyone that wishes to challenge our “fair use” of copyrighted material.
If you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe that content residing on or accessible through our website infringes a copyright and falls outside the boundaries of “Fair Use”, please send a notice of infringement by contacting atheonews@gmail.com.
We will respond and take necessary action immediately.
If notice is given of an alleged copyright violation we will act expeditiously to remove or disable access to the material(s) in question.
All 3rd party material posted on this website is copyright the respective owners / authors. Aletho News makes no claim of copyright on such material.
Politicians talk a good game when it comes to cutting the deficit! They really want to do it, but they want to do it on the backs of poor and working people. Apparently you can’t have enough war toys! http://wp.me/p4oODX-2c
LikeLike
Comment by ebrew79 | July 7, 2014 |
It begs the question if these careless scientists are human not to mention their power mad masters. Early in my life I was exposed to maniacal threats by the last generation of these freaks,,so now, I set it up so I have no reason to care beyond a shrug. I tell my wife I write these letters so they will bring an attack helicopter to the house. Most of my pals have all gone under by mundane exits, so just to be different, give me a real expensive exit.
LikeLike
Comment by Rubbell Olausen | July 7, 2014 |
They are quite firmly in control for now and for now see no present need to neutralize us across the western world.
There are more of us than there are hellfire missiles, and as has been shown around the world, blasting us away just makes everyone mad at the perpetrators.
LikeLike
Comment by aletho | July 7, 2014 |
As long as the masses remain politically illiterate and at the trough, these man men will use us all as targets to satisfy their sadistic pleasure. Security! What security, while they plan mass murder of civilians. Who gave the government permission to build these weapons of mass destruction with tax payers money. Where is the data that supports this expenditure. The citizens are going hungry and homeless. Politicians who love war and are funded by Corporations and banks need to be removed from office. They should have never been elected in the first place. The wealth of politicians ought to be capped. Once, it crosses above a certain level, it’s time for them to be removed from office. They are no longer serving the people if they were doing so in the first place. There ought to be no room for fossils in politics.
LikeLike
Comment by ribeekah grant | July 8, 2014 |