Nuclear Arms Race Fears as Last U.S.-Russia Treaty Expires: Dr. Ira Helfand

Global Nuclear Dangers and Treaty Expiration

• ⚠️ The world is facing a very dangerous moment with escalating tensions between major nuclear powers like the US, Russia, and China.
• 🎯 The expiration of the New START treaty between the US and Russia is a critical concern, as it was the last agreement limiting their nuclear arsenals.
• 🚨 The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has set the Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight, its closest point ever, citing nuclear threats, AI, and climate crisis.

Catastrophic Consequences of Nuclear War

• 💥 A nuclear war between the US and Russia could kill 100 million people in the first half hour and lead to global famine killing 6 billion people.
• 🌍 Even a conflict between India and Pakistan involving just 250 warheads could kill 100 million people and cause a global famine killing 2 billion people.
• 📉 The current global nuclear arsenal of 12,000 warheads is more than enough to destroy the world multiple times over.

The Peril of a New Arms Race

• 📈 The expiration of New START opens the door for a dangerous and destabilizing arms race, potentially leading to the world returning to the 1980s level of 70,000 nuclear warheads.
• 💬 There is no rational reason for any country to build additional nuclear warheads, yet this is a likely outcome with the treaty's expiration.
• ⚡ An arms race increases tensions and the possibility of conflict, rather than enhancing safety.

Moving Away from the Brink

• 💡 Dr. Helfand argues that strength and safety are not the same thing, and nuclear weapons, despite the deterrence theory, pose the greatest threat to our safety.
• 🍀 We have survived nuclear war thus far due to luck, not solely because deterrence works, as evidenced by false alarms that nearly triggered launches.
• 🤝 A movement is needed to pressure leaders to negotiate a verifiable agreement to eliminate nuclear arsenals and to take unilateral steps to reduce nuclear danger.
• 🕊️ The ultimate goal is a world free of nuclear weapons, which requires a new foreign and security policy based on this premise.