Codes for Armageddon: A new president to hold nuclear launch 'football'

A friend sends me a link to a thought-provoking article which uses as its hook the passing of the nuclear football from Bush to Obama.

See Codes for Armageddon: A new president to hold nuclear launch 'football' By David Wood November 30, 2008.

A new long-range forecast from America's top spy agencies said the possibility of a new nuclear arms race in the Middle East, ignited by Iran's race to build a nuclear weapons arsenal, promises new instabilities "potentially more dangerous than the Cold War" between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Weak Middle East regimes might be more tempted to actually use the weapons during a crisis in a region already prone to convulsive violence, said the report, Global Trends 2025, released by National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell.

The six Persian Gulf states, within easy missile range of Iran, have said they are pursuing "peaceful" nuclear energy programs. They are among 50 nations interested in building new nuclear facilities.

Add to that the possibility of terrorist acquisition of nuclear bombs or material from such states (with or without those states' cooperation) and there is certainly a recipe for disaster.

In the close calls of the Cold War (which I am old enough to remember) both the Soviet Union and the USA had too much materially to lose to casually initiate a nuclear exchange: the so-called Balance of Terror.

Now, we could face nuclear-armed enemies who have nothing to lose and a glorious martyr's death and Paradise to gain. (Americans may have believed in Heaven during the Cold War, but were in no immediate hurry to get there :) ).

It will be my endeavor to continue to examine this issue over the coming weeks and determine what, if anything, the Christian tradition can contribute to a discussion on where America should go from here.

The 'flow' will go from initial reaction on the blog, to discussion on the discussion board and - if anything worthwhile comes of it - posting more substantial articles on the web site.