A nuclear war between Pakistan and India would destroy world agriculture

[NickB79]

This is, IMHO, THE most important reason that we either support the Pakistani government or at least secure their nuclear warheads. If not, we risk global starvation.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Story?id=2720173&page=2

Even a Small Nuclear War Could Change the World

"Many of the conclusions are based on the consequences of two nations, each with 50 bombs, delivering their full complement of weapons on each other. That's not a hypothetical figure, they suggested, because both India and Pakistan are believed to have at least that many weapons.

So what would happen if they had at it?

About 20 million persons in that area would die, the scientists concluded. But the weapons would send up such a plume of smoke that the upper atmosphere would become opaque, blocking out so much solar radiation that temperatures around the world would plummet.

"You would have a global climate change unprecedented in human history," said Alan Robock, associated director of the Center for Environmental Prediction at Rutgers Cook College and a member of the research team. "It would instantaneously be colder than the little ice age." There would be shorter growing seasons, less rain, less sun, and starvation around the world. "

[closeupready]

1. Should we secure India's nuclear warheads, as well?

You are going to get absolutely nowhere suggesting the remedy to this is to 'secure Pakistan's nuclear warheads.' (Setting aside the fact that, as far as I know, Pakistan's nukes are already secure.) Also, it's clear that most pontificating on this issue are dishonestly claiming to be impartial. I mean, I'm not Pakistani, and even I can see that. At any rate, they won't tell us where they are, and I wonder why. :eyes:

[Baby Snooks]

4. We should ban nuclear weapons altogether.

And should have done so a long time ago. The United States and Russia enabled all the other nuclear powers including India and Pakistan and the United States and Russia should end the problem by agreeing to complete disarmament and then demanding the same of other nations and expelling those who refuse from the United Nations and enacting complete sanctions against them.

In a perfect world, they would do so. Unfortunately this is not a perfect world. It is only a matter of time before a terrorist group obtains a nuclear weapon and detonates it in one of our major cities and most likely starts World War III which probably will be the final war and the end of the human race as we know it.

[closeupready]

6. I am all for complete nuclear disarmament.

With you there.

[Deja Q]

2. Tell grow sides to grow the fuck up.

:shrug:

What have they been bickering about and how long has it gone on anyway? Americans are told to "let it go" over very small things, so what the flying squirrel is the root problem for these two countries' squabbles?

[kestrel91316]

3. On the bright side, it would deal a serious blow to corporate agribusiness.

[lovuian]

5. shooting a nuclear bomb is like killing yourself

its a No Win situation

[Coventina]

9. Unless you believe that you have 72 virgins awaiting you

I can't remember now if it was "Family Guy" or "American Dad" where a suicide bomber gets to heaven and meets his 72 virgins.

They're all nerds playing "Magic: The Gathering." Unfortunately, this is what I now think of every time the phrase "72 virgins" comes up. And it makes me giggle a little. Even though it's a deadly serious issue.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Now that we started the fire we're throwing kerosene on it.

More troops, more killing, more "apologies", more enemies, more war.

[Raskolnik]

8. I'm sorry, but I don't think the U.S. is responsible for the conflict between Pakistan and India.

I think the desire to see the U.S. as the root cause of every problem in the world is just another version of White Man's Burden.