Britain recently announced that it is to increase it’s stockpile of nuclear weapons from 225 to 260. I know what you’re thinking…

Well, that’s not exactly what everyone is thinking.

Whatever the precise reasoning, the timing could hardly be worse. Britain’s move has prompted bafflement among most nuclear experts. It is unlikely to do much to boost deterrence, while doing real diplomatic harm. The NPT’s five-yearly review conference is five months away and the mood is mutinous. Many non-nuclear states are furious that nuclear-armed ones are doing little to slash their arsenals. China, India, Pakistan and North Korea have all been growing their forces.

The worry is that trust in the NPT may ebb away, weakening non-proliferation efforts. In recent decades, Britain has been a “leader in nuclear disarmament”, says Dr Williams. Its decision to change course after decades of steady reductions is a sign of the wider nuclear gloom.

Britain is adding nukes for the first time since the cold war

Britain had been a leading example in nuclear reduction. Not any more. And Britain is not alone in reviewing their nuclear defences, America getting a new $100 billion nuclear weapon too. The reason for this seems to be both an increase in China’s stockpile and a change in Russia’s. And a change over there requires a response over here. That’s how proliferation works.

The threats are not imagined (mostly), it is pretty clear that China and Russia have not abandoned the idea of military conquest to expand power (Crimea & Taiwan) and there are other middling powers that haven’t either (looking at you Turkey). But an increase in nuclear weapons are not the best way to deal with these threats as that only leads to more nuclear weapons and that’s not a good thing.

Beatrice Fihn of ICAN Executive Director went a bit further in her condemnation though:

“A decision by the United Kingdom to increase its stockpile of weapons of mass destruction in the middle of a pandemic is irresponsible, dangerous and violates international law. While the British people are struggling to cope with the pandemic, an economic crisis, violence against women, and racism, the government choses to increase insecurity and threats in the world. This is toxic masculinity on display. While the majority of the world’s nations are leading the way to a safer future without nuclear weapons by joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the United Kingdom is pushing for a dangerous new nuclear arms race.”

UK to increase nuclear stockpile limit

I’m a supporter of ICAN. I’ve given them money and I support their cause. I’m against nuclear weapons and their increase. This statement is lazy singing to the choir though. The pandemic and other societal challenges are irrelevant to geo-politics. Linking it to toxic masculinity is ineffective name-calling. The line is simple: They are immoral and irresponsible because they are indiscriminate and ineffective.