12 hours ago
The Truth About Nuclear Bombs
Some people think that having nuclear bombs can protect a country from being attacked. But real-life events show that having a strong economy and a good regular army might actually be more helpful in a war.
Recently, there was fighting between Israel and Iran. Both sides said the other had attacked. The United States also got involved and bombed places in Iran where it believed nuclear work was going on. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful, even though in 2023, scientists found uranium that was almost as pure as what was used in the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima in World War II. Iran said this was just an accident or someone trying to make them look bad.
Let's say Israel and the U.S. are right, and Iran really is trying to build a nuclear bomb. Why would they want one? Probably to scare other countries so they won't attack Iran — that's called 'nuclear deterrence.' Many countries like the U.S., Russia, China, India, and North Korea already have nuclear weapons, and the idea has been popular for 80 years.
But here's the thing: a study of 348 fights over land between countries showed that having nuclear weapons didn't actually help. A professor named David Barash even wrote that the U.S., even with all its nuclear weapons, couldn't stop revolutions or wars in places like China, Cuba, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Russia (which used to be part of the Soviet Union) had the same problem in Afghanistan.
Even during the Cold War — when the U.S. and the Soviet Union didn't trust each other and both had tons of nukes — they never actually fought a war. So maybe nuclear weapons weren't what kept the peace.
Today, bombs and missiles are so smart and accurate that they could destroy a country's nukes before they even launch. So, having nukes may not be such great protection after all.
Iran, whether it was building bombs or not, has suffered a lot. It's under heavy sanctions — meaning other countries don't trade with it much — so its economy has stayed weak. In 1979, Iran and Saudi Arabia were at the same economic level. Now, Iran's economy is only about 40% the size of Saudi Arabia's. Also, in this short war, Iran's weak air force and defenses made a big difference.
In the end, while some leaders chase nuclear weapons hoping to stay safe, it looks like having a strong economy and good military might be a smarter choice.
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Views expressed above are the author's own.
