7 ms·

Not really a surprise, given the role of nuclear deterrence in NATO strategy.

arethuza 13y ago
I wonder if the people of the Netherlands feel so threatened that they need this level of deterrence? I'm not that far from the Netherlands and I must admit that I fail to see why these weapons being there makes us any safer.
- hatsuseno 13y ago
  If the fact that these nukes are stored in the Netherlands is kept from the public in general, and only leaks out every now and then, they must not be meant to make the population feel safer. They're probably just there as part of concessions made after WW2, where the USA wanted to extend it's reach into eastern Europe.
- lucb1e 13y ago
  I'm in NL; not worried at all.
  - dsl 13y ago
    Would you be worried if you were facing World War II Germany? The whole point of a deterrence is to provide you with piece of mind.
    - lucb1e 13y ago
      What do you mean, World War III starting or what? I'd think we're rather on the same side as most surrounding countries.
    - arethuza 13y ago
      I can actually remember what it was like during the Cold War and I can assure you that one thing that deterrence does not do is provide peace of mind for anyone.
  - t0mas88 13y ago
    Me too. Those things have been there for ages, everybody with even the slightest interest in politics / news knows about them. Not sure why they have become news now all of a sudden.
    - lucb1e 13y ago
      Because now someone confirmed them being there..?
  - dutchbrit 13y ago
    Why not? I'm in the Netherlands, 22 nukes, 50km away, some more nuke heads 20km away. Isn't really a nice idea to be honest. Considering that there are 22 nukes with 4 times the amount of power as the nuke that went off in Hiroshima, imagine what'd happen if something would go off.
    - lucb1e 13y ago
      > imagine what'd happen if something would go off Then I'd be killed together with most people that know me. No pain involved as far as I can see. Can't say I'm too anxious about that. I'm not looking to die at all, but if I get blasted away by this, then so be it. Just don't notify me beforehand or I'll get a heartattack before the bomb gets a chance to kill me.
znowi 13y ago
The funny part is that Russia has stopped worrying a while ago, but the US is still up in arms. The Bush administration unilaterally withdrew from the ABM Treaty [1] in 2002, which put an end to methodical decrease in nuclear arsenal. Russia is often painted as despotic and aggressive, however, in the last decade there's no comparison to what the US war machine has accomplished. I think the real danger to world peace lies within the US itself. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Ballistic_Missile_Treaty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Ballistic_Missile_Treaty
- pinaceae 13y ago
  that's what an economic disaster does to you. the US will withdraw from Europe as well once their money runs out.

I wonder if the people of the Netherlands feel so threatened that they need this level of deterrence? I'm not that far from the Netherlands and I must admit that I fail to see why these weapons being there makes us any safer.

hatsuseno 13y ago
If the fact that these nukes are stored in the Netherlands is kept from the public in general, and only leaks out every now and then, they must not be meant to make the population feel safer. They're probably just there as part of concessions made after WW2, where the USA wanted to extend it's reach into eastern Europe.
lucb1e 13y ago
I'm in NL; not worried at all.
- dsl 13y ago
  Would you be worried if you were facing World War II Germany? The whole point of a deterrence is to provide you with piece of mind.
  - lucb1e 13y ago
    What do you mean, World War III starting or what? I'd think we're rather on the same side as most surrounding countries.
  - arethuza 13y ago
    I can actually remember what it was like during the Cold War and I can assure you that one thing that deterrence does not do is provide peace of mind for anyone.
- t0mas88 13y ago
  Me too. Those things have been there for ages, everybody with even the slightest interest in politics / news knows about them. Not sure why they have become news now all of a sudden.
  - lucb1e 13y ago
    Because now someone confirmed them being there..?
- dutchbrit 13y ago
  Why not? I'm in the Netherlands, 22 nukes, 50km away, some more nuke heads 20km away. Isn't really a nice idea to be honest. Considering that there are 22 nukes with 4 times the amount of power as the nuke that went off in Hiroshima, imagine what'd happen if something would go off.
  - lucb1e 13y ago
    > imagine what'd happen if something would go off Then I'd be killed together with most people that know me. No pain involved as far as I can see. Can't say I'm too anxious about that. I'm not looking to die at all, but if I get blasted away by this, then so be it. Just don't notify me beforehand or I'll get a heartattack before the bomb gets a chance to kill me.

znowi 13y ago

The funny part is that Russia has stopped worrying a while ago, but the US is still up in arms. The Bush administration unilaterally withdrew from the ABM Treaty [1] in 2002, which put an end to methodical decrease in nuclear arsenal. Russia is often painted as despotic and aggressive, however, in the last decade there's no comparison to what the US war machine has accomplished. I think the real danger to world peace lies within the US itself. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Ballistic_Missile_Treaty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Ballistic_Missile_Treaty

pinaceae 13y ago
that's what an economic disaster does to you. the US will withdraw from Europe as well once their money runs out.