Nuclear deterrence
Sir,—With American and Soviet missiles six minutes from their targets, our Minister of Defence defends nuclear deterrence. An American Senate committee in 1980 discovered that in 18 months, 151 false nuclear alerts occurred, one of which lasted a full six minutes. In an accidental holocaust, we qualify as an automatic target. Under an A.N.Z.U.S. communique in 1982, we accepted, “... regular and comprehensive American naval visits... as a critical factor in strategic deterrence.” Harewood hosts American military flights unconnected with Antarctica. Instead of being a strategic threat to nuclear powers, we should harbour things they want to safeguard — for instance, the schoolchildren of political and military decision makers, and essential electronic data from all sides. Then, accepted as a nuclear-free, peacemaker nation, we could help to defuse tensions and promote peace dialogue. Those seeking effective deterrence need to study positive neutrality more carefully.—Yours, etc., J. GALLAGHER. February 29, 1984.
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Press, 2 March 1984, Page 14
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150Nuclear deterrence Press, 2 March 1984, Page 14
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