The Harbinger

Chuck Cliff reminds us that this is the anniversary of one of the truly horrifying days in human history, the other having occurred just three days earlier, on Aug. 6, 1945. But on this day, the population of Nagasaki would suffer the same ashen devastation to which the people of Hiroshima had already succumbed. There have been many horrifying days in human history, of course, but those particular two marked the beginning of a new and special kind of horror unlike anything seen before.

But rather than learn from those dastardly days, the power mavens of both the USSR and the US pursued policies of MADness and built stockpiles of weapons that could do what Little John and Fat Boy had done, and do it thousands of times over. Furthering the potential for disaster, these two powers distributed the new technologies to political allies and proxy agents, thereby ensuring that nuclear weapons would become a common feature in the arsenals of what is a select group that now comprises many countries.

And now, as the Middle East roils and Iran stands defiant in the face of Washington bluster, we have another band of maniacs in the White House who have again seriously contemplated using these infernal weapons on another population before their band of maniacs in Tehran can use them on us. Of course, the Iranians don't have such weapons yet, and this White House apparently has no moral qualms about using nuclear weapons to prevent nuclear weapons from being developed by Tehran. This despite the existence of nuclear arsenals in hot spot regions all over the world.

If wrecking unparalleled destruction upon human beings instead of negotiating with them makes sense to you, you may find an accomodating position in the West Wing. They're always looking for a few good maniacs.