Yes, with the current tensions between the US, Russia, Iran and Korea which are considered major political heavyweights in the global arena, I believe that nuclear war is an inevitability. As a matter of fact, it is no longer a question of whether, but when. This position is also buttressed by the fact currently; there is no strong international legal framework that prohibits countries from manufacturing, storing or using nuclear weapons. The countries that represent the biggest nuclear threats in the world according to Conca include Russia, Pakistan, Israel, China, Cuba, France and Korea (4). The country most likely to start a nuclear war is Iran or Korea. According to Aznar (1) and Podhoretz (3), even though there are international pressure from the US to sign a deal to shelve any nuclear weapon manufacture, Iran is merely waiting for the right time, that is, a provocation to start a nuclear war with the West. Korea is already manufacturing and frequently testing its nuclear weapons, thus the likelihood of it unleashing them on a simple provocation is high. I think countries that need to take steps to prevent nuclear war is the US, a role it is currently doing to persuade Iran and Korea to sign deals on non-production of nuclear weapons. Moreover, I think the US’s status on the global arena makes it a better state to negotiate prevention of such a war. It would do that by negotiating international deals and compromises on developing alternatives to nuclear weapons. The rest of the world can help prevent a nuclear war by imposing and implementing political and economic sanctions on any country that insists on development or use of nuclear weapons.
Yes, I think world peace is possible, since, as argued by the BBC, since 1945, the world has experienced fewer wars than in any other century except for few civil wars that could be termed as civil infractions indicating growing democracy (1). We get there by promoting peaceful coexistence among states and dealing with any issue that poses threat to international harmony, relations and understanding among nations. But, yes, I think it would be too idealistic and utopian to expect world peace in the future given that there are currently a lot of factors ranging from nuclear weapons threats to revolutions especially in the Arab world against undemocratic governments that are a major threat to a future peaceful world. We can only hope that the current deals and negotiations over nuclear weapon production bears fruit and those efforts to curb climate change become a success. For, there may reach a point when less developed states may gang up against the developed world to demand responsibility for global pollution which may result in another world war. However, based on the democratic peace theory, peace may prevail among the liberal and democratic states while there may be wars between the democratic and undemocratic ones. Yes, I think we will see world peace in my life if the current efforts towards international peace and cooperation are sustained. Clark also argues that in future, war will not be financially feasible but a pointless endeavor, thus leading to world peace in future (2).
Works Cited
Anzar, Maria. “Confronatation with Iran is inevitable.” Wall Street Journal. 5 Aug. 2015. Web. 11 May. 2016. <http://www.wsj.com/articles/confrontation-with-iran-is-inevitable- 1438813370>.
BBC. “Is the world peace possible?” The BBC. 12 Nov. 2012. Web. 11 May. 2016. <http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20121109-is-world-peace-possible>.
Clark, Liat. “The world will be a more peaceful place in 2050.” Wired. 20 Nov. 2012. Web. 11 May. 2016. <http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-11/20/world-peace-in-2050>.
Conca, James. “On the nuclear weapons states-Who has then and how many.” Forbes Magazine. 25 Sep. 2014. Web. 11 May. 2016. < http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/09/25/the-nuclear-weapons-states-who- has-them-and-how-many/#59a2bcdb1fd1 >.
Podhoretz, Norman. “Israel’s choice: Conventional war now, or nuclear war later.” Wall Street Journal. 28 Jul. 2015. Web. 11 May. 2016. <http://www.wsj.com/articles/israels-choice- conventional-war-now-or-nuclear-war-later-1438125451>.
