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Original poster

nuclear attack on britain- how likely

284 replies

blackbunny · 13/04/2017 21:10

Posting this in AIBU for traffic.
With all the current unrest in the world, I've found myself obsessing today about the possibility of Britain being attacked.
Now, I suffer from depression and anxiety that is controlled by ADs. My husband has serious health issues, undergoing chemo atm and I'm naturally worried about the outcome. Till today, I've been coping with my feelings and emotions well. But today, seemingly out of the blue I'm haunted by the fear of a nuclear attack, can't seem to shake off the feelings of dread and fear.
I know in my head the reality is remote, but I suppose what I need to hear is that that is right.
Can anybody reassure me? Please help.

OP posts:
SabineUndine · 13/04/2017 22:24

I think it's more likely to happen elsewhere but if it does we'll all be affected. And people talking about MAD have overlooked the instability created by Trump.

Madeyemoodysmum · 13/04/2017 22:25

Agree. I was very worried as a teen made to watch horrible programs about nuclear war at school in the 80s. I put it out of my mind now.

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 13/04/2017 22:25

What fresh madness is this with all the WW3 threads?

Can we please go back to normal service with a few parking threads and that perennial dog-walked- past-my-sandwich favourite?

Goldfishjane · 13/04/2017 22:25

Whenever these threads come up, I can't tell if people are worried about life or death.

I don't care if there's an attack in three minutes if it kills me, but I don't want to be alive in chaos. So I'd have to fix that but I don't imagine that would be hard.

I have anxiety and depression but death is the end of worry surely? Well, unless you're religious and think you'll end up in hell or something.

travellinglighter · 13/04/2017 22:28

Dear Livelovebehappy.

The infrastructure required to build a nuclear weapon is very distinctive. The production of Plutonium is the most difficult part, it requires very specific type of centrifuge. If any nation acquired that many of them then we’d know. The alternative is that they have been given one by a nuclear armed nation or they have nicked some. Even if they have managed to acquire one bomb or several then delivery becomes a problem. North Korea, despite years of trying, still aren’t capable of putting bomb and missile together in one integrated delivery system.

So third parties don’t worry me.

As for a new threat, Trump won’t swap the total destruction of Washington for the total destruction of Moscow.

lisaIambe · 13/04/2017 22:28

There is no way China will prop up North Korea in a war scenario. China is embarrassed enough by it already. Main reason China supports it economically is it doesn't want to deal with the mess if the regime collapses.

aprilsdelight · 13/04/2017 22:28

MusterMark thank you, that is a very reassuring post and totally makes sense. When someone starts a thread like this and are so clearly anxious and worried that is what they want to see. Unfortunately a lot of posts do nothing but raise the fears even more. Don't worry Op things will settle down, we'll be ok.

Pariswhenitdrizzles · 13/04/2017 22:29

What I was feeling concerned about today was the potential risk of another terrorist attack, as revenge for the US bombing today of caves in Afghanistan that are believed to have been used by ISIS fighters. What does everyone else think?

Renaissance2017 · 13/04/2017 22:29

There won't be one in the next two years. The Russians know we are to busy with Brexit. We should be able to fit in WW3 about June 2020 as we have the Scottish Referendum as well.

It will need to be finished by December 2020 though. We wont be able to afford the overtime over Christmas.

OriginalKateMid · 13/04/2017 22:31

No offence intended to anyone here, but if you're REALLY actually worried about this, then you're probably consuming too much low-brow media. Their job is to stir up fear.

PhoenixRisingSlowly · 13/04/2017 22:32

I'm not particularly worried about nuclear war because really, we'd all be dead and it wouldn't matter. Anyone unlucky enough to survive wouldn't last very long.

What I am more worried about is a chemical weapon being used in our major cities, leading to loss of life but also disruption to our infrastructure/ability to easily import food, which we rely on heavily in this country. Ditto any kind of cyber attack, for the same reason. Given how worried/switched on the gov seem about cyber attacks at the moment, and how many of them are either happening or being prevented, if you are going to worry about something, then worry about that and our reliance on electronic systems of all kinds.

I am also anxious and tend to lay awake at night fretting about all this kind of shit, but I have to say nuclear war isn't right up there, ironically because there is so much else jostling for top position in terms of Worrying Things.

lisaIambe · 13/04/2017 22:32

I mean, I'm not worried personally, since I'm a KGB spy from Belarus sent to the UK by Putin and Lukashenka to monitor mumsnet. They thought Belarus was less suspicious than Russia. (No, really, it's still called the KGB in Belarus). So if they all let off the nuclear bombs, I'll just crack my cyanide dental implant open and be welcomed into the afterlife like a good spy. So I'm all good Wink

Maudlinmaud · 13/04/2017 22:33

You see, I'm not worried about me either, my worry is for the dc. If they where at school, how could I reach them etc etc. I was alive in the 80s but don't remember anything about warnings, obvs my parents must have sheltered me from all that. So this is a new thing for me. The thread has been reassuring though.

alreadytaken · 13/04/2017 22:34

one good thing about getting older is that you have been through these scares before - in my case several times. They have a declining ability to worry me.

I suggest this

UppityHumpty · 13/04/2017 22:36

Don't worry about the things you can't change, only worry about things you can. I'm more worried about wannabe terrorists trying to stab me on the train and so am starting some kind of hand to hand combat training. If someone tries to attack me they're going to regret it.

EnjoyYourVegetables · 13/04/2017 22:38

I am not worried.

..And i am a born worrier.

I probably worked through my nuclear worries in the 198Os.

Boils down to the old Sting song the "If Russians Love Their Children Too"..

We could all be destroyed by a meteor impact or a massive volcanic event leading to worldwide crop failure. All these things are both unlikely and outside my control and therefore not useful candidates for worries.

EnjoyYourVegetables · 13/04/2017 22:40

Uppity i was thinking i really want to do first aid training.

strawberrygate · 13/04/2017 22:41

there are grips available people should anyone want one

BobbinThreadbare123 · 13/04/2017 22:50

Don't worry. Unlikely. You don't need plutonium to make warheads, either. I reiterate, do not fret about this.

Cheesenacho123 · 13/04/2017 22:50

I really wouldn't worry about it, there's literally no reason to attack us, our nuclear deterrence are at sea so if some country did try to threaten us we'd just use our subs and ships to attack that country. It's what the navy and other companies are there for! I just wouldn't listen to what the media hype up, you want to know if it's serious pay attention to anyone who has family in the army, raf, marines or navy. When something happens like an attack they get put on alert so they'd be pretty much first to know but also maybe first to get deployed if anything did happen :/

SeaEagleFeather · 13/04/2017 23:03

Nuclear war doesnt worry me.

quite frankly I'm reassured by Isis too (backhandledly)

They've taken over universities and created some nasty bombs and chemical attacks. But they haven't gotten anywhere with mass chemical or bio weopons.

If anyone was going to use them then Daesh would - but they haven't. Because presumably they can't.

Not often Daesh put your mind to rest!

SuperBeagle · 13/04/2017 23:03

It would be considered Mutually Assured Destruction. There couldn't possibly be a winner in war if nuclear weapons were used.

It won't happen.

Nukes are there to use as an empty threat, to keep the less powerful or more angsty countries "in line".

LovingLola · 13/04/2017 23:06

Just be glad you don't live in the province in Afghanistan where the Mother of All Bombs was dropped by an American plane earlier today.

Bunnyfuller · 13/04/2017 23:08

Have I missed something (not seen news for 3 days, frantically busy or dying with a cough. This is the second End of The World thread I've seen on here today?