We spent 40 years with a treaty, and a military organisation [NATO] bouncing around the idea of MAD with the Soviets, and eventaully avoided major conflict and the rest as is said is history.
Both sides had well oiled arsenals of WMD, startegic forces large armies etc etc.
There was clear blue water between the political philosphies of each grouping of nation states. 50 years later, time and patience allow these differences to evolve relatively peacefully, rather than through conflict. [Ignore bush fires, local conflicts, regional terrorism]
Thesis:
We need a new treaty - The Middle Eastern Non-violent Union or something of this sort which
- Collects signatory countries all in fear of the moustached one
- Assures each country that an attack upon it is regarded, a la NATO, as an attack upon all.
- Underwrites a policy of MAD
- includes Israel
- Includes NATO, since that brings in the eastern border countries and the USA
The message being: the moustached one can do what he likes with his chemical industires - but any military useage is quite a different matter.
In conclusion, is a new cold war better than a very hot one?
Comment and discuss.