Likelihood of nuclear war
Dear Editor: Dr. Clifford Jones, a regular contributing columnist for the Okanagan Weekend, submitted the opinion that all of the medical advances and technology enjoyed by humanity since medical advances came to our rescue could all be for nothing.
As one of the only columnist who has ever mentioned nuclear war, I was reminded that all is not well in the world of the most dominant species on the planet.
In the past 30 years or so, during which I have been fortunate enough to spend in the valley of the Gods, talking about nuclear war in these parts invites incredulous stares and expressions that mirror the place from which you I must have originated.
Dr. Jones, a most venerable 90-years-plus medical doctor who often professes more saneness than most of his contemporaries, chose to join a rare breed of physicians who is actually in tune with the reality that nuclear war is not only a possibility, but that, according to Murphy’s laws, is inevitable unless its possibility is removed.
Dr. Jones, undoubtedly aware about Dr. Helen Caldicott’s unsuccessful attempts in the 1980s to ban nuclear weapons, was understandably quite restrained in his description of the aftermath of conditions that would prevail following such a war. I can well understand that describing the horrors that would follow, even a limited nuclear war are practically indescribable.
After witnessing the unhealthy air quality conditions brought about by wildfires in Western America last summer, even though there were thousands of firefighters involved in fighting them, one can only imagine what would result from using even a fraction of the weapons available to show just how stupid we could be in destroying the only home we will ever have.
To imagine a scenario involving tens of thousands of wildfires without firefighters to put them out, along with hundreds — possibly even thousands — of burning cities spewing toxic fumes across the globe may be a bridge too far to cross.
With the above scenarios in full bloom, I can imagine that the simple act of breathing might be an overwhelming problem, but to so in near complete darkness would be near impossible. And so can we really blame anyone for avoiding such conversations ?
Nevertheless, I am grateful to Dr. Jones for daring to talk about the unthinkable. With the likes of Donald Trump at the helm of the most destructive weapons ever devised, it may be that human stupidity may indeed make all of our collective past mistakes pale in comparison. The probability of a nuclear exchange between world troublemakers has become as real as it could. John Turcot Kelowna