One trillion dollars to be spent worldwide on nuclear weapons
Lest anyone think we are "safer" now from the threat of nuclear weapons since the cold war is over, read on: The Financial Times reported today that, according to Global Zero, the world's nine nuclear weapons countries (US, Russia, China, France, UK, India, Pakisan, North Korea, Israel) will spend one trillion dollars on their atomic weapons programs over the next decade. Despite the much-trumpted START ratification by the US and Russia; and Obama's Nobel Peace Prize, after his famous Prague speech, more money than ever is being spent on nuclear weapons globally. This is due to the so-called weapons "modernization" programs. Global Zero founder, Bruce Blair, told the FT: "Spending will increase because of decisions by both nations [US and Russia] to upgrade and replace. Modernization is progressing at such a pace we are seeing more spending on nuclear weapons than at any time since the cold war."