Re: Pen and Paper note, "Welcome to Britains' Open Prison"
The fact that we're spending uncountable billions on ICBMs when the threat is from criminals with knives in vans clearly demonstrates the pointlessness of this gross white elephant."
Firstly, SLBM's. We don't have, or plan to have any ICBM's.
Secondly, if the only threat to society is from criminals with knives in vans then not only would nuclear weapons be surplus to requirements, we wouldn't need conventional weapons either. An airforce would be surplus to requirements, along with a navy. We wouldn't need an organised army either, as if the only threat is a van and a knife we could probably get by with police armed response units.
Or maybe that army is worth having because in it's absence it would be possible to turn up with a few hundred armed and co-ordinated people and win a set piece battle with the police, rout them and then laugh at the UK's laws with impunity. A Navy and airforce for similar reasons, control of internal affairs and being able to defend the country from external forces if required.
And perhaps the nuclear weapons are worth having not because we'd want to use them, but because their very presence means that no country would ever dare back another country into a position where they might use them because nothing is worse the risk that somebody would push the nuclear button.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
