The Need and Utility of Nuclear Weapons, Destructors or Saviors?

When one thinks of complete and total annihilation, the plumage of an infamous mushroom cloud is undoubtedly an image which comes to mind. This ominous image is '. . . a tiger which must be looked in the eye,' (Looking the Tiger in the Eye, 1982). The reason for which we must examine the issue of nuclear weapons, is best stated in the words of J. Robert Oppenheimer, '. . . until we have looked this tiger in the eye, we shall ever be in the worst of all possible dangers, of which we may back into him.' In an attempt to prevent ourselves from backing into this proverbial tiger, we will discuss the following subheadings of nuclear arms: should countries dismantle their nuclear arms; and whether a nuclear war can occur, without resulting in a total nuclear holocaust of both conflicting parties.…