Nuclear Testing Won’t Make the World Safer

Re “New Nuclear Policy Makes for a Safer World,” Commentary, March 18: Barry Blechman clearly lives in Fantasyland. Resuming nuclear testing, threatening to use nuclear bombs and breaking treaties make the world safer?

Nuclear bombs could destroy the Earth, and any nuclear bomb, even so-called “low yield,” emits deadly radiation. Our new policy can only lead to other nations building up their nuclear arsenals, thus sabotaging the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. As the most powerful nation in the world, we must instead lead the way toward reduction and eventual elimination of nuclear weapons.

Ann Edelman

Los Angeles

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I am puzzled by the conclusion reached by Blechman that the new nuclear policy is a major accomplishment and an important advance toward ending nuclear dangers. As pointed out in Robert S. McNamara and Thomas Graham Jr.’s March 13 commentary, “If a country believes it’s falling out of favor with Washington, what is the first thing it is likely to do? . . . one must first acquire nuclear weapons.” So we damn the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which we extended in 1995 with over 180 countries and which has kept nuclear weapons from spreading all over the world. The Nuclear Posture Review really sends chills up everyone’s spine.

Jack Liu

Woodland Hills