TOPIC LECTURE. RESOLVED: STATES OUGHT NOT POSSESS NUCLEAR WEAPONS. Childree

April 30, 2014 Prepared by Lesley McNiesh Updated by Justin Bresolin, Sam Kane, and Andrew Szarejko CHART: Global Nuclear Weapons Inventories, 2014 Nuclear weapons programs are generally shrouded in secrecy and all of the totals listed above should be considered estimates.

Known to have nuclear weapons S uspected to have nuclear weapons Pursuing nuclear weapons S uspected to be pursuing nuclear weapons* * Iran maintains that it is enriching uranium for civilian energy purposes only, but the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran has not been cooperating enough for the agency to verify whether the intent is solely for peaceful means. As a result, the U.N. Security Council and a number of Western nations have placed economic and arms-related sanctions on Iran.

DEFINING IMPORTANT TERMS: STATES a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government. the civil government of a country. a politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory; especially : one that is sovereign the political organization of such a body of people a government or politically organized society having a particular character (MERRIEAM WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY)

STATES Max Weber, a German philosopher and political economist, describes the state as a compulsory political organization with a centralized government that maintains a monopoly on the legitimate use of force, within a certain territory. monopoly on use of force political organization, in relation to local, and in relation to international legitimate use of force, accepted by the people, which means that the people somehow have a voice in the decision-making process of whether/when to use them

STATES What a state is NOT: A non-state actor An individual People acting outside of the scope of a government What the plural nature of the word STATES means: More than one state, some states, or all states?

STATE Different approaches to using STATE PRO SIDE States ought not possess nuclear weapons, and neither should anyone States ought not possess nuclear weapons, but someone else should States ought not possess nuclear weapons, but circumstances force them to Nuclear Weapons ought not exist CON SIDE States ought possess nuclear weapons. In a world where NW (Nuclear Weapons) exist, and someone has to possess them, states are the best actors to possess them. States ought possess nuclear weapons, but NEVER use them. States ought possess nuclear weapons and use them when necessary and acceptable.

DEFINING IMPORTANT TERMS: OUGHT Used to indicate duty, correctness, moral obligation, advisability, desirability, logic, or expectation (commonly in several different dictionaries) Why ought you do something that you ought to do? It is wise to do It is beneficial to you or others or all people It allows you or others to escape an unacceptable harm we must avoid It is necessary for survival It is the morally right thing to do In a sea of immoral, wrong options, it is the LEAST immoral, LEAST wrong action

OUGHT Why ought you NOT do something that you ought NOT do? It is unwise to do It is harmful to you or others or all people It is unnecessary for survival It is the morally wrong thing to do It is an action that is impossible to do It is an action that has an extremely low probability of success, but a high definite cost

DEFINING IMPORTANT TERMS: POSSESS To Have, to own, to control To take into control (Merriam Webster’s Dictionary) Possess does NOT mean use Can possession be shared or is it unique to one actor?

DEFINING IMPORTANT TERMS: NUCLEAR WEAPONS Bomb or warhead that derives its force from nuclear fusion, fission, or both, Delivered by an aircraft, missile, or other system. The most potent, powerful explosive devices ever invented. Their destructive effects include a blast equivalent to thousands of tons of TNT but also blinding light, searing heat, and lethal radioactive fallout. The number of nuclear weapons reached a peak of 32,000 for the US in 1966 and 33,000 for the Soviet Union in After the Cold War, both countries dismantled thousands of warheads. Other declared nuclear powers: United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea. Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons. Countries such as South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, and Iraq, admit to pursuing nuclear weapons in the past, but say they have abandoned their programs.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS Plural (States ought/ought not possess more than one, or only one

COMPETING INTERPRETATIONS OF THE RESOLUTION The debate can happen in different worlds: The Pro side can argue for a world with no nuclear weapons, a theoretical world that does not exist today The Con side can argue that we are forced to operate in today’s real world, where nuclear weapons exist, and where someone has to possess them. Are we debating in a world we can CHANGE, or are we debating in the real world, that we CANNOT change?

SOME COMMON PRO ARGUMENTS 1.NW are deadly, destructive, & immoral. No one should have them. 2.NW are hard to secure & keep 100% safe. No one should have them. 3.The possession of weapons makes other countries scared, and out of fear, they create weapons, which creates a cycle of weapons creation. To avoid this dangerous competitive cycle, no one should have these weapons. 4.Hateful or irresponsible actors (terrorists or other non state actors) might get their hands on NW. 5.NW can be accidentally detonated. 6.States ought possess other types of weapons, but not NW.

SOME COMMON CON ARGUMENTS 1.NW reduce or deter other dangers, like small scale war, biological warfare, and chemical warfare. 2.NW exist in the world already. Someone has to possess them. The best actor is the state. Better than non-state actors or individuals. You can even define state in a responsible, favorable way. 3.Countries with NW are better respected in the world, and their voice is heard and paid attention to more. NW increase diplomacy & non-violent interaction. 4.Deterrence Theory. The best source of protection is having the most powerful weapons that exist. Purpose of government is to protect its people. Responsibility to ensure people’s safety in the strongest way possible. 5.States ought to possess, but ought not use, NW. 6.Possession is good enough. Use is not necessary for the positive benefits of increased safety and accountability. The concept of multiple global police.

SOME OTHER QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER… In a PRO world, do all countries have to dismantle and disarm their nuclear weapons? Will they? Can we trust them to? The idea of the nuclear weapon, and the technology and knowledge to create it, are still out there. How can we guarantee no one will use it? In a CON world, will every state have, or try to make, nuclear weapons? Or only some? Who gets to decide what is right or wrong? What is best for the world?

SOME INTERESTING UNIQUE EXAMPLES SHARING: BELGIUM, ITALY, NETHERLANDS, GERMANY, TURKEY REVERSAL: SOUTH AFRICA TREATY FAILURE: UKRAINE NEGATIVE ASSURANCE: CHINA NUCLEAR UMBRELLA NATIONS: SOUTH KOREA…