Opinion: Why on Earth are we even thinking about fighting a catastrophic nuclear war?

To the editor: It is difficult to believe that the president and his advisors are so blithely discussing the possibility of nuclear war with North Korea. (“Escalating tension has experts simulating a new Korean War, and the scenarios are sobering,” Sept. 25)

One can only imagine the devastating loss of lives and the permanent damage to Earth that a conflict between two nuclear-armed countries would inflict. After the devastation of the recent natural disasters, the thought that we would willingly consider a nuclear response should be beyond any rational human being.

It catapults me back to the many hours I spent with my son in the 1970s and ’80s, when the possibility of nuclear war was in the news. He was sure life wasn’t worth living if we were all going to be blown up, and I tried to reassure him that it was unlikely.

Now I feel even more uncertain about the future.

Claire Marmion, Long Beach

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To the editor: It seems only natural that a smaller country like North Korea would seek to have nuclear weapons. After all, we argue that our nuclear arms keep the peace by keeping very real enemies at bay.

Why is it that governments that have nuclear weapons continue to demonize smaller countries that try to gain the same kind of protection?

Indeed, our government has used atomic weapons, napalmed Vietnam and bombed Babylon, and even now, President Trump casually tells the 25 million men, women and children of North Korea that he could kill them.

Fred Weber, Encinitas

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