# Is U.S. war policy encouraging the world to go nuclear? The future of proliferation. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 20, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-s-war-policy-encouraging-the-world-to-go-nuclear-the-future-of-proliferation/162724 "2003-03-20T04:15:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-s-war-policy-encouraging-the-world-to-go-nuclear-the-future-of-proliferation/162724/21 "2026-09-04T19:59:07Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Likewise, non-nuclear countries aren’t exactly getting invaded left and right. Yeah, but the bully on the block who does have them is liable to push them around and take their lunch money. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-s-war-policy-encouraging-the-world-to-go-nuclear-the-future-of-proliferation/162724/22 "2026-09-04T20:53:53Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Reminds me of an [old thread I started](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-we-gave-iran-nuclear-weapons/610504) {blinks} FOURTEEN YEARS AGO? When I saw the title I immediately though, “I’m pretty sure people started making this argument twenty years ago.” Yup. And I think it’s a pretty sound argument. If you want to keep the United States off your back then you need to have nuclear capabilities. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-u-s-war-policy-encouraging-the-world-to-go-nuclear-the-future-of-proliferation/162724.md?page=1)