PSA: The low yield nuclear weapons proposed in the NPR do not “blur the line” between conventional and nuclear weapons. They are still 5-20kT. They are still nuclear. They are still strategic. They are still devastating. And they can still cause massive nuclear escalation.
I think a lot of people don't realize that the difference between 5 and 20 kt is not all THAT profound, because damage doesn't scale linearly. 20 kt is the Nagasaki bomb — hardly "tactical" if used near inhabited areas. Obligatory NUKEMAP screenshots.pic.twitter.com/dU4fUELhBr
-
-
In regards to "blurring the lines" — the MOAB is the largest conventional weapon in the US arsenal, and it's about 0.01 kilotons (10 tons). Just for comparison. If you are talking about 1 kt or greater you are talking about either nukes or exploding an entire ammo dump at once.pic.twitter.com/hTxNbroCyT
-
Exactly. Even the 0.3kT setting on our variable yield weapons is equivalent to 30 MOABs not to mention radiation etc
-
Vipin. You cannot seriously be suggesting that the 0.3kt setting on the B61 isn't aimed at making them more useable or doesn't lessen the firebreak between conventional and nuclear war.
-
I think what Vipin's saying is even at 0.3kt there's still a massive difference between nuclear blast and 'conventional' bomb like GBU-57, except if you use a MOP to take out nuclear weapons bunker, then there may still be fallout but you're also righthttps://theaviationist.com/2017/10/20/we-have-found-ultra-rare-footage-showing-a-b-2-spirit-stealth-bomber-dropping-a-30000-pound-bunker-buster-bomb/ …
-
Yea. You see one quibble I have with calling a 20KT fission device a "low-yield nuclear weapon" (other than it being wrong) is that low-yield weapons are technically more sophisticated, so you'd only create 0.3kt weapons for scenarios where 20kt weapons are not useable.
-
Well you know what size my money's on for next use of a nuclear weapon, 5kt, way big enough to say don't mess with us we're bona fide war criminals prepared to do anything it takes to not lose this war but hopefully small enough that it won't spiral out of control, hopefully...
-
Heh, well incidentally 5kt is the minimum yield threshold in the proposed multilateral treaty proposed by Dr Kalman A. Robertson and myself.
-
OK, I can see you copped some skepticism from
@Dr_M_Davis and@rdyn51 on the proposal to prohibit low-yield nuclear weapons, I'd be interested to read the longer discussion paper if it's available https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-next-step-in-nuclear-arms-control/ … https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/prohibiting-low-yield-nuclear-weapons-is-a-step-in-the-right-direction/ …https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/a-treaty-to-ban-a-low-yield-nuclear-weapons-can-work/ … - 1 more reply
New conversation -
-
-
More peoplr need to watch movies like Countdown to Looking Glass, The Day After, and Threads. How in the WORLD does anyone think that the use of "tactical" nukes wouldn't escalate straight to a full exchange?!
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
#Congress, the mainstream#GOP and#Democraticparties, and#press do not want to think about any of this whatsoever, so it appears. My representatives,@MarkWarner@timkaine@GerryConnolly included.Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
-
-
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.