At present, the number of nuclear weapon states(NWS) - or the states that could get nuclear weapons quite quickly - was nine - but THIRTY other states could also get them unless the "nuclear weapon states" stopped the pretence that nukes were some sort of "deterrent" or "ticket to the BIG diplomacy".
A lot of people are, in fact, waking up to accept the fact that - in 2006 - even keeping the nuclear weapons states had in the cold war doesnt deter "911" type events- or much else - but they ESCALATE, they ADD tension. A "rogue state" - even that used nuclear weapons - gets its regime toppled by the unity of the rest of the world against it in "conventional" ways - in fact - almost certainly with the support of that regimes people too - rather than every nation in the world having its own nuclear arms race.
(drain, or gravytrain ? it depends . . . . or it did . . . . but )
Even a lot of the minderbinderwarbux types - despite the slushfunds from COSTPLUSPERCENTAGE projects of such a size - are facing up to the facts that if the current NWS continue the "vertical" proliferation of getting new, easy-to-use nukes - then think up stupid "excuses" for them - (*&) that others are going to take in a serious way, to mirror as a strategy - then "horizontal" proliferation is almost certain, - then, apocalypse-( mistakes or new M.A.D serious "strategy") - even of the "poor mans bomb" tech of chemical or biological WHOOPS- - - - WINDBLOWN EBOLA - - - - - - - - IS ALMOST CERTAIN TO INTERRUPT THE STUPID "GREAT GAME", THE RACKETS, TECH-SLAVERY, ETC . . . .
Progress is the global nuclear TOTAL disarmament that the nuclear weapon states PROMISED when they signed up to the NPT. Without PROGRESS TOWARDS THAT, imagining the current situation continuing is the equivalent of somebody thats jumped off the 88 th floor thinking they have discovered the way to evade gravity when they see the sign fot "8th floor" but - so far, so good".
It wasnt 911 that changed everything, it was the end of the cold war. Arms races with two basic "blocks" are VERY DIFFERENT from the idiotic chaos of 9 - or 39 - different nervous dummies with nukes, trying to pretend the terror-weapons that THEY have are nastier than other peoples . . . . or that they are madder . . . .

inertia is the problem . . . . momentum . . . .

WORSE FACTS TO THINK ABOUT. THE CURRENT UK GOVT "INHERITING" TRIDENT FROM THE TORIES USED THE SAME HURRIED EXCUSE ("DOCTRINE") TO KEEP IT DESPITE THE FACT IT WAS DESIGNED TO GET PAST MOSCOWS ABM DEFENCES. . . . BUT THAT "RATIONALE" IS EXACTLY WHAT OTHER STATES - ALL OTHER STATES - MIGHT USE TO GET A NUCLEAR BOMB . . . . BUT . . . . WORSE EVEN THAN THE COLD WARS "DETERRENCE" - THE TALK OF "WARNING SHOTS" AT MAJOR CITIES - if "INTERESTS" WERE THREATENED -EVEN IF THE STRATEGISTS DIDNT MEAN IT - IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO THE EXTENT OF SETTING A HIDEOUS TREND.

Thus, the chief of the atomic energy authority, warning of a dangerous fashion set by the Nuclear-weapon-states is severely understating the problem.

"Lacking logic. . . . yes, but"
The other "momentum", the other "inertia" is, unfortunately the fact that - even for the people that its somewhat less of a "gravy train" than a "basic income supplement" - with the stupid economic "modern" tradition of the scrapheap-dumping of communities or people - unless we discover progress again - or even free thought - a lot of people seem to think that they need apocalypse next week to pay for this weeks groceries.
YES, alternate ways exist - but the "slushfunds" from the rake-off from tomorrows mass graves ARE paying for people to manipulate us all against each other . . . . to stop us thinking about ways out - even if ALL of "them", are due places with "us" under the rubble in the mass graves . . . .even if that risk is, in fact, imminent. A CRUNCHPOINT is when OTHER ways are clear - if we are awake to break out of the inertia to take them - in time.

Such a lack of logic, setting SUCH dangerous fashions - if it was a "third world" nation, might expect serious sanctions from our governments - then, perhaps, bombing. But it IS "our" governments. . . . or . . . .US . . . . LETTING THEM.


cheers for comments.