By Peter Dingle (Letter)

The Tablet – 15 February 1986

If the aim of the various nuclear disarmament groups is a freeze on the production of nuclear weapons followed by a cutback leaving a minimum of weapons all round, then this surely is to subscribe to the policy of nuclear deterrence. If however the aim of these groups is the total abolition of nuclear weapons everywhere (and that is certainly the aim of some of them), then, if they were successful, any future war would start with conventional weapons. Since the combatants would still have the knowledge and capability to produce a nuclear device, there would be a race to do so, either for actual use or to serve as a threat.

Surely the arguments of Leonard Cheshire and others in favour of a deterrent to prevent such a war even starting are preferable.