JONATHAN GRANOFF: Why the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons Is Critically Important
Source: «Nuclear Weapons: Threats and Solutions», United Nations Headquarters, October 28, 2013 / flickr.com
Jonathan Granoff is the President of the Global Security Institute, a United Nations representative at the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, a member and trustee of the World Academy of Art and Science, and a professor of international law. He was a spiritual disciple of the great Sufi saint from Sri Lanka, Bawa Muhaiyaddeen.
As far as I know, you have been involved in the issue of nuclear disarmament. Could you tell us how long you have studied this issue and what motivated you to pursue it?
It’s wonderful to see someone of your generation so passionately engaged in making the world a better place. In the 1960s, I was young and worked for a member of the U.S. Congress. At that time, I was part of a group of young interns, and we were invited to lunch with New York Senator Robert Kennedy, the brother of John F. Kennedy.
Robert was running for President but was later assassinated (in 1968 – editor’s note). During that lunch, he told us about the Cuban Missile Crisis of the early 1960s. The Soviet Union had placed nuclear weapons in Cuba — enough to destroy the United States. And for 13 days in October 1962, global security hung by a thread.
The Central Intelligence Agency of the United States discovered the Soviet Union’s plans and imposed an embargo, while the American military pushed for an invasion. The logic was: «We impose an embargo, and you won’t be able to send ships to deliver nuclear weapons to Cuba».
However, it turned out that nuclear weapons were already on the island. Had the U.S. military invaded, the Cubans would have used them. This would have resulted in the destruction of many major cities along the East Coast of the United States. In response, the U.S. would have launched 1,000 nuclear warheads at the Soviet Union — and we wouldn’t be here today.
Why Is the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons Critically Important?
Senator Kennedy once said that nuclear weapons serve as the moral litmus test of the modern world. If we solve all of humanity’s problems but fail to address the issue of nuclear weapons, then nothing else will matter.
The fact that a handful of people have the power to wipe out the entire human race is unacceptable. Albert Einstein believed that the atomic bomb changed everything — except our way of thinking. We must rethink our approach to global security.
I recommend watching The Man Who Saved the World. The film tells the story of Colonel Petrov, who, in 1983, was responsible for monitoring computers that tracked the U.S. nuclear arsenal. One day, the system falsely detected a full-scale American nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. Petrov broke protocol and chose not to launch a retaliatory strike.
When I met him in person, I asked, «What gave you the courage to do that?» He humbly replied, «I was a computer scientist, and I knew computers could make mistakes. Besides, God told me that He did not want the world to end».
Colonel Petrov added that his superiors later struggled with whether to reward him for saving the world or punish him for violating protocol. In the end, he was punished — for believing in God. In other words, ideology mattered more to them than the fact that he had prevented global catastrophe.
Have There Been Similar Incidents in History?
William Perry, the 19th U.S. Secretary of Defense, described in his book My Journey at the Nuclear Brink how computer systems once falsely indicated a full-scale missile launch from the Soviet Union. Like Stanislav Petrov, Perry was a technical expert who understood that computer data could be flawed, so he refrained from taking action. It was later confirmed to be nothing more than a computer error.
Additionally, in 1995, a weather satellite was launched off the coast of Norway. It was indistinguishable from a missile, triggering an alert in Russia. President Yeltsin was informed, and Russia was prepared to launch a retaliatory strike. However, Yeltsin stated that he saw no reason for it, as there was no crisis at the time, and he had a productive relationship with President Clinton. In the end, Yeltsin was right — but the situation could have led to global catastrophe.
The problem is that if such an incident were to occur during a crisis like the one we are witnessing today, there would be very little time to determine whether it was a computer error or a fatal human decision.
Various climate scientists have studied the consequences of nuclear weapons use. Beyond destroying the ozone layer, the impact on the climate would be so severe that it would wipe out the agricultural foundations of civilization. And this could happen with the use of less than 1% of the world’s existing nuclear arsenal.
Nuclear weapons pose a greater problem than any issue they are intended to solve. That is why the current crisis and the war in Ukraine are extremely dangerous for everyone. And yet, the fate of all future generations is being decided by just a handful of people.
I’ve Heard a Lot About the Nuclear Threat Related to the Current War in Ukraine. If Putin Wants to Start a Nuclear War, How Easy Would It Be for Him?
Russia’s current command structure is opaque. Putin is not required to obtain approval from any specific group. There is no special executive committee with which he must consult.
At least half a dozen Russian submarines roam the depths of the world’s oceans, and each of them carries enough firepower to obliterate nearly every major city in the United States.
If he gives the order, there might be military commanders who refuse to comply. But if even one of them follows the Russian President’s directive, the result would be the end of humanity. Because the moment even a single nuclear bomb strikes U.S. territory, America will launch all its missiles from its own submarines — wiping out every city in Russia.
The destructive potential of these weapons is unimaginable. Even tactical nuclear warheads, comparable in size to the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, are devastating. Many of today’s tactical warheads are on that scale. However, larger, geostrategic nuclear weapons operate in the megaton range. A single-megaton weapon is equivalent to 70 Hiroshima bombs — and there are 13,000 of them in the world today!
Shortly Before the War in Ukraine, Many Ukrainians Believed That Russia Would Not Start a War Despite All the Evidence. Do You Think This Blindness to the Nuclear Threat Has Anything in Common With That Situation?
Yes, of course. Humanity’s capacity for foolishness often surpasses its ability to face danger head-on. But it’s not just about denying Russia’s blatantly obvious actions. Most people around the world deny the impact of fossil fuels on the climate. They fail to see that the way we heat our homes and drive our cars will soon render civilization inoperable. And that is a scientific fact.
When the oceans rise, coastal cities will be submerged — and this will certainly happen if we do not change our ways. There will be more pandemics and more viruses. They do not recognize borders, just as the climate does not recognize borders. Perpetual growth within a finite system is dysfunctional.
What Is the Most Terrifying Aspect of This War?
The worst thing this horrific war has done is create a deficit of trust and a barrier to cooperation — hindering our ability to address the real threats we all face. The arrogance of the handful of individuals who orchestrated this erosion of trust is truly astonishing. We must never lose our ability to envision what a better world could be. And we know what it looks like.
How Can We Achieve This Better World?
There are global threats that require global cooperation. Since ancient times, wise people have said that humanity is one family and that all people should be treated with respect and love.
Every culture has a golden rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. Every religion and every tradition preaches this principle. What was once only spiritual advice has now become a practical necessity.
Ukrainians and Russians Were Once Considered Brothers. Can Our Nations Reconcile in the Future?
For over five hundred years, Europe was almost constantly at war. If, in 1943, someone had asked, «Do you think the French and Germans could ever get along?» the likely answer would have been, «Not in my lifetime». Today, the idea of these two nations going to war is unthinkable. Reconciliation can happen quickly if circumstances allow it. Europe is a prime example.
Russia has an abundance of all necessary resources, including human spirit and intelligence. But it lacks social justice. It lacks the rule of law. It lacks a philosophy of helping others. It lacks a sense of human unity with the rest of the world.
Currently, Russia is experiencing a crisis of national identity. Somehow, its leaders have forgotten our shared humanity and are pursuing a mythical vision. Every time we forget our common humanity, disaster follows.
Do You Look to the Future of Humanity With Optimism? Do You Believe the World Will One Day Be United?
To be honest, I don’t know. But let’s remember Socrates — one of the wisest people in human history. He was sentenced to death simply for asking questions. He challenged people’s belief in illusions. If you measure the success of such individuals by conventional standards, you might conclude that they were terrible failures.
I could spend all day giving examples of wise and virtuous individuals whose lives were exemplary in their pursuit of happiness. These are people who find fulfillment, unlike those who chase power and material wealth but ultimately don’t seem all that happy.
I am responsible for myself, and so is every person reading this. I believe everyone should ask their political leaders: «What are you doing to eradicate poverty? What are you doing to protect the climate? What are you doing to eliminate nuclear weapons?» And each person should also ask themselves: «What am I doing to find and express the best within me?»
I have thought about this often. I have asked myself: «Will my dedication to the rule of law, to global peace, and so on make any difference?» But in the end, I realized that this was the wrong question. The real question should be: «If I do not act on my values and the love that God has given me, then what am I doing with my life?»
So, I have a duty — to myself, to God, to my family, to my people, and to the entire world, just as you do.
A Final Thought: A Prayer
None of us created our own lives.
A great Sufi master, Jalal Rumi, was once asked: «What do you gain from prayer?» He replied: «I see it differently. Prayer is not about what I gain. It’s about what I lose. I lose arrogance. I lose haste. I lose anxiety. I lose pride. I lose vanity. I lose illusions and ignorance. I lose prejudice. And to me, that is a far better way to understand the value of prayer».
Even in the worst circumstances — under the threat of violence and humiliation — prayer is essential. And today, people all over the world are praying for peace and justice for the people of Ukraine. Our prayers are with you. My heart is with those of you risking your lives and with those of you who seek peace and goodness on behalf of the Ukrainian people.
This is my prayer.
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