Nuclear Deterrence

We discussed nuclear deterrence yesterday in class and why it does or does not work. After thinking a little more about it, in addition to second strike capabilities as well as jeopardizing ones national security, i think another major reason groups as well states do not enage in nuclear war is because of other issues that are more prevalent. For example todays "oil crisis." Many people are involved and will be dramatically effected in the event we are to run out of oil. In addition we have global warming to worry about. I think these world issues also keep nuclear weapons on the ground in the sense that those who posses nuclear weapons are not sitting and wondering what the other guy is going to do with this nuclear weapons because the two actors are both preoccupied with other things. I believe that if there was nothing else going on globally that draws a significant concern than nuclear war would be a bigger thing to worry about. People would become paranoid because ultimately i think "peace" makes states and other global actors uncomfortable. What i mean is that there is always going to be some sort of conflict going on in the world and for this reason i believe that if there was not a conflict that deveolped naturally that humans just out of their nature would create one. I'd like to believe that we are capable of being peacful but history shows this is just not true. Therefore as long as there are other large global issues taking the stage in international politics and relations nuclear war will remain on the back burner.