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Beginning of the end for Johnson - I doubt it

Reuters:-The UK "had previously been reducing its nuclear weapons stockpile, and in 2010, the government set a cap of 180 warheads for the mid-2020 period. Johnson scrapped the earlier limit and said the number would now rise to a maximum of 260.In its security and defence review, Britain said it faced risks from nuclear-armed states, emerging nuclear states and state-sponsored nuclear terrorism, and its nuclear deterrent was needed to guarantee its security and that of its allies.“Some states are now significantly increasing and diversifying their nuclear arsenals,” the government said. “The increase in global competition, challenges to the international order, and proliferation of potentially disruptive technologies all pose a threat to strategic stability.”"Increasing UK nukes preserves peace.Increasing other countries' nukes threatens war.?-------------------------------"The government has argued reducing [foreign] aid spending to 0.5% is legitimate because of the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic – which the legislation provides for – although it would not allow for it to become a permanent cut." (Guardian)

David Ainsworth ● 1840d2 Comments

While one shouldn't underestimate the damage that can be done by a cyber attack - just think of Wanna Cry or Not Petya, and we don't know what  damage will emerge from the recent thefts of data using the Solar Winds and Exchange hacks - but I think there's some surprise in the info security world that we might nuke the perpetrators. The big obsac!e, of course, is accurate and timely attribution; perhaps irrelevant once nuclear weapons start flying around. Mind you, at least one wouldn't need to bother paying any ransom ... although possibly Bitcoin and the Internet might still work; after all, the original Darpanet was designed with the possibility of nuclear war in mind ... but if you look at the devastation two smallish nuclear bombs caused in Japan just think what a few thermonuclear bombs might do 

Michael Ixer ● 1840d

This is worse than worrying. The review says that “the UK will not use, or threaten to use, nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear weapon state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons 1968 (NPT),” which is present policy. However, it goes on to say that “we reserve the right to review this assurance if the future threat of weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical and biological capabilities, or emerging technologies that could have a comparable impact, makes it necessary.”So the development of chemical weapons or a cyber attack could be used as an excuse to lay waste to entire regions and kill millions and millions of people; this is a hugely significant deviation from the ‘no first use’ policy hitherto adopted, and is really terrifying.

Richard Carter ● 1840d