According to the UK Independence Party website UKIP will try to achieve the following if they gain power at the 2010 general election:
Despite all international disarmament efforts, more and more nations are acquiring nuclear weapons and associated missiles. Currently the nuclear powers are USA, Russia, UK, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, with Iran and North Korea well advanced towards them. South Africa and most former Soviet Republics have the know-how.
UKIP believes there is only one defence against countries who threaten to use it – well tested in the Cold War – which is to possess one’s own nuclear weaponry. Mutually Assured Destruction will never be a comfortable concept, but it works.
It is sometimes argued that nuclear weapons will never be used. To accept this is a gamble too far, particularly in the light of emerging nuclear capable extremist states. In any case, the threat is from the coercive power of a nuclear state against a non nuclear state. Quite simply, there would be no alternative to giving in to whatever demands were being made.
For the foreseeable future only governments will have the ability to control nuclear weapons and to launch nuclear missiles. Such governments are – it has been well demonstrated – deterred from their use by the immediate and certain prospect of their own destruction.
The important factor here is the certainty. A deterrent has to be invulnerable and able to be launched under all and any circumstances. The Vanguard class ‘bomber’ submarines meet these requirements but will soon need replacing. Day to day, operationally, they are independent; although long term their Trident missile system’s supply and refurbishment clearly depends on the US
UKIP’s policy is that the design of four new British built American armed ‘bomber’ missile submarines should start immediately, to preserve the skills base which might otherwise be lost through delay.
I would be interested to hear both positive and negative views on UK Independence Party’s UK Nuclear Deterrent policies in the comments below?
THIS COMMENT IS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL NEVER ACTUALLY HAPPEN, MEANING THAT THE TREMENDOUS CURRENT COSTS AND MASSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE CURRENTLY ENVOLVED ARE COMPLETELY WASTED.
THE ROYAL NAVY RUNS THE UK NUCLEAR PROGRAM, AND ALSO HAS A SECONDARY SUBMARINE NON-NUCLEAR CRUISE MISSILE CAPABILITY.
IT IS SUGGESTED THAT TERMINATION OF THE NUCLEAR DETERANT WITH REPLACEMENT BY AN EXPANDED CRUISE MISSILE PROGRAM WOULD IN FACT HAVE ADEQUATE DETERENT EFFECTS TO A NUCLEAR THREAT.
A SECONDARY RESULT OF THE PLAN WOULD BE THE DETERENT EFFECT OF A LIMITED USE OF CRUISE MISSILES TO A NON-NUCLEAR THREAT.
NUCLEAR DETERENT ALTERNATIVE