In the labyrinthine corridors of power, discussions about nuclear weapons often feel like scenes from a dystopian thriller. With the specter of these doomsday devices hanging over our heads, you’d think the world’s leaders would be acting with a sense of urgency. Alas, the reality is far less poetic and infinitely more troubling.

As of early 2024, nine countries still possess over 12,100 nuclear warheads. Russia and the United States alone account for nearly 90% of this terrifying arsenal, underscoring an ongoing arms race disguised as modernization. In an age that cries out for disarmament, we continue to treat nuclear weapons like inventory at a warehouse sale—carelessly counting and recalling their prominence while ignoring the ticking clock of potential disaster.

Take, for instance, the revelations from the Federation of American Scientists, who report that the pace of warhead dismantlement has slowed dramatically. From an average of over 1,000 dismantled per year in the 1990s to a shocking low of just 69 in 2023, this regression evidences a troubling commitment to the status quo rather than a robust path to disarmament. Political posturing masquerading as strategy, folks, while the specter of nuclear disaster looms ever larger.

In the heart of this debate lies the failure of the treaties designed to control these weapons. The New START Treaty, once lauded as a pillar of arms control, faces an expiration that could allow both the U.S. and Russia to ramp up stockpiles at an alarming rate. As our leaders squabble over projections and numbers, real lives hang in the balance. You’d think the looming shadow of nuclear conflict would be enough to spark serious discussions, but here we are—caught in a loop of threats and denials, as if waiting for a catastrophic wake-up call that might never come.

Then there’s the curious case of North Korea, where the underground dealings of a Yakuza leader—yes, going from fiction to reality—saw nuclear material trafficked like some illicit drug deal. The involvement of criminal organizations in nuclear trafficking should ignite alarm bells in every corner of the globe, yet there’s more talk than action when it comes to tightening security and fostering genuine disarmament.

And let’s not overlook the American public. While our leaders strategize from gilded offices, folks at home remain blissfully unaware or indifferent to the mounting risks. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) pushes for awareness, yet political inertia and public apathy hinder progress like a heavy fog settling over a busy airport. We ought to be marching in the streets, demanding accountability and action!

We even have reports of military drills and nuclear exercises becoming the norm, paraded as essential readiness. The exercises, such as “Global Thunder,” accentuate a new militaristic posturing under the guise of deterrence. But let me tell you, keeping nuclear bombers flying over our heads won’t shield against adversarial advancements or technological threats. It’s political theater that could easily lead to miscalculations, misunderstandings, and catastrophic consequences.

So, as we enter another year with nuclear weapons lurking in the shadows, it’s time to ask: what’s it going to take? Are we really prepared to wait for another Hiroshima—this time perhaps on our own soil? The failures of our current trajectory are stark and glaring, and it’s you, the public, who must demand a change. A change in policy, a shift in perspective, or simply the courage to envision a world free from the terrible grip of nuclear weapons.

Let’s wake up and smell the fallout before it’s too late.

Sources:

  1. Kristensen, Hans M., Matt Korda, Eliana Johns, and Mackenzie Knight. “United States Nuclear Weapons, 2024.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, vol. 80, no. 3, 2024, pp. 182–208. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00963402.2024.2339170.
  2. Kristensen, Hans M., Matt Korda, Eliana Johns, and Mackenzie Knight. “United States Nuclear Weapons, 2025.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, vol. 81, no. 1, 2025, pp. 53–79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00963402.2024.2441624.
  3. “Nuclear Weapon.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 21 Feb. 2025, http://www.britannica.com/science/nuclear-weapon.
  4. United Nations. “International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.” United Nations, http://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-total-elimination-nuclear-weapons.
  5. International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. “Nuclear Ban Week 2025.” ICAN, http://www.icanw.org/nuclear-ban-week-2025.
  6. Davenport, Kelsey, and Daryl G. Kimball. “U.S. Says Pakistan Developing Long-Range Missiles.” Arms Control Today, Jan.-Feb. 2025.
  7. McAllister, Christina, and Braden Holt. “Nuclear Security News and Member Updates Roundup, January 2025.” Henry L. Stimson Center, 4 Feb. 2025, http://www.stimson.org/nuclear-security-news-update-january-2025.