jklinstein
I voiced an opinion, and you disagree. Instead of responding in a civil manner, you resort to accusations. I didn't tell anyone what they could or could not do, but you're treading down that path with heavy handedness.
You may feel it is heavy handed, but i would disagree. By supporting any restriction upon weapons ownership, you play into the hands of those who wish to end all private ownership. Yes, it IS telling people what to do - and i take serious offense at that.
You may feel you are merely voicing an opinion - i feel you are advocating taking away my rights.
If you've got enough money, you can buy both the fissionable material and the plans for how to put it together. Would it be "easy", of course not.
The plans to put it together are freely available on this wonderful thing we call the Internet. As i remember, engineering students at many universities used to assemble nukes (minus the fissionable material) as part of projects. Making them really isnt that difficult. It IS 60+ year old technology after all.
As far as the necessary material, no you cannot buy it with enough money - at least not legally. All of it in the US is owned and controlled by the US government, and they are not obligated to sell it to you - and the government IS within its authority to restrict importation of it.
So, in other words, private ownership of nukes is moot anyway. There is no legal way for you to GET one short of mining and refining the stuff all at your own expense, and somehow I'm thinking you wouldnt get a permit to build a breeder reactor.
Nonsense. Is Bin Laden "self-regulated"?
Irrelevant. He isnt a US citizen, and we do not control the world.
Is there any crime that the superwealthy are immume from committing?
What crime are we discussing? Ownership of nuclear weapons? I am not even sure that is illegal.
I fail to see how ownership of ANY weapon - mind you i just said ownership - infringes upon anyone elses rights, and therefore fail to see what actual crime could be committed.
Honorsdaddy, I understand the principle you're arguing from. It's a position that is not politically even a remote possibility.
Sorry - but yes it IS a possibility, and is in fact a reality. Private citizens currently own all manner of heavy duty hardware. Legally. Tanks, artillery, full auto weapons, rocket and grenade launchers, a few even own military aircraft.
Dont know of anyone who owns warships, but I'm reasonably certain that is simply because private ownership is cost-prohibitive. Besides, where the hell are you going to park a destroyer for example? Where are you going to find the people to crew it?
Now they dont own nukes, but as i said, im not sure it is actually illegal TO own one. I do know there is no legal way to obtain the critical mass which would actually make it a nuke.