Maybe a more self sacrificing plan is in order. If we layed down our guns, became the bigger nation, and stepped off this pedestal we have put ourselves on that says "We must be the enforcer of Global law", would that not encourage other nations to put down their guns (by guns I mean WMDs)? Even if, in this disarmament, we perish due to attacks from other nations, are we not dying as martyrs? What better message to send to the world than one that says "While we live for peace, we will willingly die for peace." Then what self respecting nation would call us "those (*)(*)(*)(*)ed selfish pig Americans"?

Martyrdom and death may be the only thing that brings life back to the US

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-JL

If we quit trying to be world police, we might just make life easier for ourselves... I wouldn't recommend disarming the military though. We do need a deterrent.

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"Man lives in the sunlit world of that which he believes to be reality. But unseen by most is an underworld, a place that is just as real... but not as brightly lit... A DARK SIDE!"
-opening from Tales From the Darkside

Step away from the crackpipe, son.
It's a cruel, hard world out there and it is NOT your friend. It's a nice idea, but reality is that they would destroy us within a month if we laid down our arms. All your freedoms would vanish, your mother raped and jailed, father beheaded, of course this is only if they don't nuke us.
If you think I'm too harsh, just be glad there are those worring about it so you don't have to.

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O'TEDDY BIN-SWIMIN

Woah woah woah, I don't believe Locke is suggesting laying down ALL weapons. Just Nuclear and chemical weapons. Think, even if we did lay down our nukes, we still have a rather formidable military, not to mention the technological defenses developed. Who knows, within a few years, we might even have a laser grid to defend against nukes or chemical SCUDs. And, if any country DID suggest nuking us, every single country in the UN would come to our defense. Essentially, losing our nukes is like a policeman putting down their gun while they are wearing a swat outfit, kevlar and all.

yea but kevlar isn't impenetrable. give a criminal (terrorists and other enemies) enough shots with armour-piercing rounds (nukes, scuds, other wmds) at an unarmed kevlar-covered cop (your version of U.S.) and a couple of shots are bound to get through. besides by the time the budget allots enough money to even start any kind of advanced defense system every dictatorship and their brother will have WMDs.

And exactly what help what they be able to send us. Troops? A million soldiers can't stop a nuke once it is launched. Sanctions? Might as well put on a stern face and wag your finger at them. All they have to do is pretend to be intimidated while they perfect their weapons. It's what North Korea is doing.

Sorry, but the only thing that gets through to our enemies is real fear. It worked with Russia. We didn't need soldiers or a laser grid to stop the Soviets from nuking us. All it took was the bazillion nukes we stockpiled and the threat of M.A.D

"Maybe a more self sacrificing plan is in order. If we layed down our guns, became the bigger nation, and stepped off this pedestal we have put ourselves on that says "We must be the enforcer of Global law", would that not encourage other nations to put down their guns (by guns I mean WMDs)? Even if, in this disarmament, we perish due to attacks from other nations, are we not dying as martyrs? What better message to send to the world than one that says "While we live for peace, we will willingly die for peace." Then what self respecting nation would call us "those (*)(*)(*)(*)ed selfish pig Americans"?

Martyrdom and death may be the only thing that brings life back to the US"

There's a few holes in this. 1. why on Earth would North Korea lay down their nukes when they've worked so hard to get them. To do that would mean admiting that Kim Jong IL was wrong. And that's one thing they'll never do. It would be like the pope saying he was wrong. 2. Nukes don't have to be fired to be effective. The detterant has probably stopped a few nations from getting them. That and John Bolton(man that 'stache is scary) http://www.michaelmoore.com/mustread/index.php?id=782).
3. I don't think we should have to harm ourselves so everyone else will stop thinking we're arrogant. Don't counselers say it doesn't matter what others think of you as long as your own self-image is good? We should be more like Isreal and stop caring what others think of us. Machevelli said it is better to be feared than to be loved.

P.S. no one would be able to say anything nice about us if we didn't exist. and 300 million people for the price of peace is a little expensive. That's more than would die in a nuclear war (in the eighties)[/quote]