The EU thread

[The Brain]

The Moscow-Washington Axis might make it difficult for former US allies without existing nuclear partners to develop them in peace. Will the US strike say Japanese nuclear sites?

[crazy canuck]

Sad to say, but Canada may decide to build not because of a perceived need to deter the Russians or Chinese but as insurance policy against the USA.

Yes, that is the primary reason we would do it

[PJL]

It is worth remembering that the reason why countries like Canada and Sweden did not go the nuclear route is because of the view at the time that it would be better to severely limit nuclear proliferation.

I don't think that argument is as strong now.

Yes, it's for that reason I am less concerned about Iran going nuclear than I was 6 months ago. It's still a concern but given the current situation, more of a problem for regional powers like Israel and Saudi Arabia than a global concern.

[The Brain]

Plan B for Europe is to align with China, the least insane of the Big Three, and the only one of them that doesn't have explicit territorial ambitions on Nato countries. Hopefully it won't come to this.

[crazy canuck]

It is worth remembering that the reason why countries like Canada and Sweden did not go the nuclear route is because of the view at the time that it would be better to severely limit nuclear proliferation.

I don't think that argument is as strong now.

Yes, it's for that reason I am less concerned about Iran going nuclear than I was 6 months ago. It's still a concern but given the current situation, more of a problem for regional powers like Israel and Saudi Arabia than a global concern.

Yeah, the nightmare scenario of nuclear proliferation has already occurred.  No sense in countries like Canada and Sweden voluntarily making themselves easy pickings at this point.

[The Brain]

Yeah. Thousands of warheads recently came under control of a rogue state set to destroy the world order. The ship has left the station.

[crazy canuck]

Yeah. Thousands of warheads recently came under control of a rogue state set to destroy the world order. The ship has left the station.

That is really the core problem