Which Future will we choose?

by: jamess

Sun Dec 09, 2007 at 22:44:18 PM EST

Here's the one question that few Leaders ever dare to ask:

When is Enough ... Enough?


Imagine, all the destructive power of 15 Hiroshima Bomb, rolled up into a single BB ...

Just how many BBs does the USA have anyways?

Thanks to Ben, of "Ben and Jerry" fame, you can see the Answer for yourself, Click here:

http://www.truemajority.org/be...
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Yes, that's a disturbing display of power!

Further it's a very unfortunate result of a History based on Fear and Hate ...

America may be "the Greatest Nation on Earth" --
But could that reputation be for precisely all the Wrong Reasons?

In a Democracy we should be able to Choose our common Future -- Funny I don't remember choosing that kind of Investment in unspeakable Raw Power?

I think we owe much of this "overkill" legacy to President Reagan's battle against the "Evil Empire", in the 80's.

Funny again how the Peoples of both USA and Russia have a different Opinion when asked:

Dec 3, 2007

US and Russian Publics Strongly Support Steps to Reduce and Eliminate Nuclear Weapons

A new poll, conducted in the United States and Russia, finds robust support for a series of cooperative steps to reduce nuclear dangers and move toward the global elimination of nuclear weapons.

Large majorities of Americans and Russians favor taking nuclear weapons off high alert, sharply cutting the numbers of nuclear weapons, banning the production of weapons-grade nuclear material, and-once advanced methods of international verification are established-undertaking the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

These steps correspond to key elements of a plan for "A World Free of Nuclear Weapons," developed by a bipartisan group that includes two former secretaries of state (George Schultz and Henry Kissinger), a former defense secretary (William Perry) and the former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (Sam Nunn)-sometimes called the "Reykjavik Revisited" plan. Some have been included in recent legislation, such as a bill introduced by Senators Chuck Hagel and Barack Obama (S.1977). A systematic, global endeavor to eliminate nuclear weapons has also been endorsed by former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev, former British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett, and US Presidential candidates.

http://theseoultimes.com/ST/?u...
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Way to Go Barack, this may be one place where working with fellow Republicans may actually accomplish a progressive goal. I hope so.

John Edwards has been speaking out too, strongly in favor of Halting the Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, both in Debates (in which Moderators ignore his statements), and on the Campaign Trail, where the People seem quite interested, in what he's saying:

Halting the Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NH)

Nov 5, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

http://johnedwards.com/nh/vide...
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It's not that Edwards would be "soft on the Terrorist threat" either -- He realizes the danger they pose, which is all the more reason that "loose nukes" within the borders of our Allies, must be brought under stricter control. Allies like Pakistan which Edwards discussed, in that clip -- they need controls, and inspections, too.

A New Strategy Against Terrorism

Pace University, New York, NY
Sep 7, 2007

John Edwards:

It's important to note that CITO is not a panacea, nor will it be perfect. But it would represent the first step in a new direction. As President John F. Kennedy observed when he signed the treaty that first limited the testing of nuclear weapons, we must begin with the common recognition of a common danger. President Kennedy said then, "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Today, this new anti-terrorism organization would be such a first step.
...

There is no more urgent task than preventing terrorists from acquiring a nuclear weapon or another weapon of mass destruction. And we will all be better off when the world is free of nuclear weapons.

Diplomacy is key to progress against nuclear weapons. The recent agreement with North Korea to shut down their nuclear programs in exchange for the release of frozen assets is long overdue, but encouraging. It is telling that the few successes of the Bush Administration come from the diplomacy it has derided.

As president, I will create a Global Nuclear Compact to strengthen the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which would support peaceful nuclear programs, improve security for existing stocks of nuclear materials, and ensure more frequent verification that materials are not being diverted and facilities are not being misused. And I will lead an international effort to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

http://johnedwards.com/issues/...
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Tough, Smart, Targeted!

Don't you love it when Politicians address the real problem? I certainly do.


On the other hand though, Edwards is courageously suspicious of the Neocon Agenda, as he has often singles them out in Debates, and on the Campaign Trail too. (That takes takes real guts by the way, to mention the Neocons! Who else is doing that?)

Here Edwards suggests that "wasteful Military program" will be subjected to the same Funding scrutiny that the average local governments must go through to balance their Budgets. NO More Neocon "free rides" in an Edwards Administration!

Iowans for Sensible Priorities - A Message from John Edwards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
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Every day, school boards across America go over their budgets, line by line, and make hard choices. Isn't it time we asked the Pentagon to do the same thing?

As president, I will order a top-to-bottom review of military spending. For every dime we spend, every contract, every weapons system, we'll ask these questions: Is it necessary? Does it work? Does it make us safer against today's threats...or is it designed for a threat we faced 20 years ago? And is it in the best interests of American taxpayers? If the answer is no, it will be cut - or outright eliminated.

http://johnedwards.com/iowa/pr...
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That's some more Tough Talk from Edwards, but this time in the direction of restoring the World to Peace, and some sanity to our Defense Budget, too.

Once again I raise the Question:

When is Enough ... Enough?


Imagine, all the destructive power of 15 Hiroshima Bomb, rolled up into a single BB ...

Is 150,000 Nukes really necessary when it would take only a 100 or so to destroy any Nation on Earth?

And What a waste of resources too -- for what?

Does America really want to BE the Country that starts World War III? Some chicken-hawks may view our Nuclear Arsenal as the "ultimate war game" -- But Really, are there really any Winners if those Destructive Scenarios ever get played, for real? (or to paraphrase Anderson Cooper: "How many Nukes would Jesus use?")

Wouldn't it be better, if we were the respected Statesman on the World Stage, and began to turn this MAD untenable Agenda around, like JFK initially started?

That seems to be among John Edwards goals. He trusts in Human Potential, and the strength of Humanity and "Sensible Priorities" to solve most any problem.

John Edwards:

Finally, for the sake of our own security and to assure a safer world for our grandchildren, I believe America must lead a global effort to eliminate nuclear weapons. As a first step, we must lead by example. No more nuclear tests. No more nuclear weapons development. We should cut our own nuclear arsenal - which could save us billions of dollars per year. Then, we must begin a far-reaching, international diplomatic effort to end proliferation and, over time, dismantle this grave threat to the peace and security of the world.

http://johnedwards.com/iowa/pr...
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I for one, do not want to live in a world dominated by Fear and Hate ... (and Media-enabled Mushroom Clouds)

Hope and Hard Work are really a much more Human Goals to strive for in our lifetimes. They are much more achievable too -- or at least much more worth achieving.

If the last 7 seven have taught us anything, it's that living by the constant drumbeat of Irrational Fear, is well, really no way to accomplish anything of lasting significance.

All Fear gets you, is more Fear itself.   (to misquote FDR)


It's up to us America ... What kind of Future will we choose -- It's not like this time we don't have a choice.

Thanks for your time and consideration.