The Doomsday Clock moves closer to midnight

Doomsday Clock closer to Midnight

http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20200124-it-is-now-100-seconds-to-midnight

We are closer than ever to wipe out humanity!!!  (Or so the Doomsday Clock states)

The article says::

“The iconic Doomsday Clock of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, symbolizing the gravest perils facing humankind, is now closer to midnight than at any point since its creation in 1947. To underscore the need for action, the time on the Doomsday Clock is now being expressed in seconds, rather than minutes: On Thursday, the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board, in consultation with the Bulletin’s Board of Sponsors, which includes thirteen Nobel Laureates, moved the Doomsday Clock from two minutes to midnight to 100 seconds to midnight.”

“As the statement issued Thursday by the Bulletin explains: “Humanity continues to face two simultaneous existential dangers—nuclear war and climate change—that are compounded by a threat multiplier, cyber-enabled information warfare, that undercuts society’s ability to respond. The international security situation is dire, not just because these threats exist, but because world leaders have allowed the international political infrastructure for managing them to erode.”

“The Bulletin notes that the Doomsday Clock has now moved closer to midnight in three of the last four years. While the Doomsday Clock did not move in 2019, its minute hand was set forward in 2018 by 30 seconds, to two minutes before midnight. The Clock was adjusted in 2017 to two and a half minutes to midnight from its previous setting of three minutes to midnight.”

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Growing up during the Cold War - after World War II - we had drills in school for atomic bombs.  While the atomic bombs ended World War II, their existence forced the USSR (aka “Russia”) to develop atomic bombs.   

At this point in time (January 2020), there are eight countries with atomic weapons:  The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom (aka “England”), France, India, Pakistan, and North Korea.  It is also assumed that Israel also has atomic weapons, but that country neither admits nor denies that.  

Iran is considered not to have nuclear weapons, but that is debatable.  (They have nuclear power plants and have supposedly been working on atomic bombs - just ask Israel who has attempted to negate such development.

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To end World War II, the Allies/United States bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki with atomic bombs in 1945.  Before that bombing, German and Italy had signed unilateral agreements to end the war, but Japan had not.  The emperor and imperial army seemed to say “We will fight to the last person.” Seemingly Truman and the United States decided that the atomic bomb, as disastrous as it was, would actually save lives by ending the bitter conflict.  And, it did. Shortly after the explosions, Japan surrendered unconditionally. 

But, after the war, bitterness between the Soviet Union and the United States grew so each had stockpiled multiple such weapons.  The concept was that each could kill each other country's citizens several times over!!

The Middle East has been a sore spot for centuries.  Biblically the rivalry goes back to Abraham who had two sons - Isaac and Ishmael - where supposedly the blessing of God was to be on Isaac - the legitimate son of Abraham through his wife Sarah.  

Religion is part of the enmity between the Arabic and Muslim states and Israel.  Seemingly some in the Middle East would love to ‘blow’ Israel off the map with a nuclear weapon even if it destroyed the rest of the world.  Plus, the hostility between India and Pakistan (and even the disputed territory of Kashmir) could flare up to nuclear destruction at any time.

So, the doomsday clock is closer to midnight.  Some crazy madman could set it off with one push of a button and destroy us all.

From Barry McGuire’s song of 1965 - The Eve of Destruction:

“And you tell me over and over and over and over again my friend,

You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.”

Hatred flourishes, but, as a Pollyanna, I believe (and hope) that we can become peaceful people, living in a world of peace, but if the analysts are correct, we are closer to total destruction than ever!!!

Are you worried?  How can we turn the tide and find ways to ‘love-one-another’?

Hugs!!

Karen