Obama Shared Vision Of "Nuclear Free World" In College Magazine

New York Times:

In the depths of the cold war, in 1983, a senior at Columbia University wrote in a campus newsmagazine, Sundial, about the vision of "a nuclear free world.He railed against discussions of "first- versus second-strike capabilities that "suit the military-industrial interests" with their "billion-dollar erector sets, and agitated for the elimination of global arsenals holding tens of thousands of deadly warheads.

The student was Barack Obama, and he was clearly trying to sort out his thoughts. In the conclusion, he denounced "the twisted logic of which we are a part today and praised student efforts to realize "the possibility of a decent world. But his article, "Breaking the War Mentality, which only recently has been rediscovered, said little about how to achieve the utopian dream.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[DrPneumann]

I wonder if he will discontinue using Depleted Uranium shells like we used on the people of Iraq...

[Ohioan730]

The potential of human apocalypse is always imminent as long as those weapons are on earth. Even if they aren't being used, a Cold War like the one I grew up in during the 80s has damaging effects on the psychology of children. Its no fun to think you wont live past your teen years. It really takes the flavor out of life and youth. Nuclear weapons cause nightmares whether they are being used or not. They are the black hole waiting to consume us all. The fact that we keep them around is bizarre. Do we really want to kill ourselves? Mankind, that is.

[flash LI]

The threat of a cold but rusty blade sawing your head off is enough to REALLY effect the psychology of children.

Great Utopian thought, but no longer practical.

[FebM]

Every time you read an old Obama article its the same theme wonder why the wingnuts are obsessed with "Ayers wrote Dreams" and Favreau wrote "Audacity" . It reflects on their insecurity in accepting Obama's brilliance they would rather put their bet on everyone else except a self made Columbia Harvard first class constitutional lawyer. Fortunately it doesnt change a think in Obamas enormous capacity and potential
Go BO

[flash LI]

Well, tell him to release his school records and we'll see all that he's accomplished? If it's good enough for McCain - and all preceding Presidents, it's good enough for Chairman 'O'. What's he got to hide? I want to see the official list of accomplishments.

[flash LI]

BTW, I'm talking about his academic accomplishments. Do they even exist? Why not start there before you tag Chairman 'O' as the brain trust that you say?

[Freethinker70]

flash...are you saying that you doubt Obama even went to school here? Are you saying you doubt he went to Harvard Law? Just what the devil are you talking about?

[mendelcrosses]

write to the Arizona State University. They surely have it all to have judged that he hasnt accomplished enough.

But,may be if you could release yours we could start the comparison. Just for the record,McCain never wrote any article at school. He didnt even attend college.

[jubei]

Right and I guess you wanna see his Birth Certificate as well too heh?!

[wizedollars]

Love how the author again nused that :new global order" at the end to deal with nuclear proliferation. Nice try.

[belfam]

always CONSISTENT Mister Pres on the issue of Nuclear Proliferation

[jeun28]

Foreign policy is Obama's strength.. he has a degree in international relations, i don't worry about that.

I am more concerned about if he can take on the corporations

[AngieMom57]

"I am more concerned about if he can take on the corporations"

ditto

[snruB]

This is the only policy of Obama's I don't support

[teron678]

What's wrong with a Nuclear Free World .....

although i think it's a pipe's dream ... one can try ...

[mendelcrosses]

Yeah.
May be it is a pipe dream as you put it.

But remember,all Dr ML King had to go with was a dream

[Pleneras]

There is nothing to fear but fear itself.

[poco767c]

Nuclear weapons are obsolete. They are no deterrent to the few insane enough to use them.

[snruB]

MAD man....Nukes saved the planet man

[harriscrl3]

Its to be expected I guess some people like having enough nuclear stockpile to destroy the world 10 times over.

Why do you think its a bad idea to want to rid the world of something that can destroy the world. Do you seriously want America to have the capablity to bring nuclear holocaust. Who wins if nuclear holocaust happens.

I would just like to point out to some people that think that if its in America's hands it safe. AMerica is the only country that has used an atomic bomb on another country.

[harriscrl3]

I have always thought that foreign policy was Obama's greatest strength. Its always been mind boggling to me why they would criticize him on this issue.

You can tell that foreign policy is all his but the economy I fear he is listening to the wrong people.

[snruB]

Yeah, I supported him since before he announced he was running cause I liked his foreign policy

[Pleneras]

It pays to live outside your box! The world looks different and bigger with people who have a history much older than ours. To assume we are the greatest is so egotistical and myopic.

[1088]

I've discovered that during all the scrutiny he has to endure, he remain diligent and steady with his agenda. Just like his campaign! In the end, he will win, in spite of all the nay sayer.

[december30]

Yes he will win and I thank you.

[missette]

I couldn't help but wonder as I read this illuminating piece what the apparent seeker of presidential office in 2012 Sarah Palin was writing about in her senior year of college. I'm truly skeptical that the weighty issues of the time were much on her mind. Still, to sizable numbers of Republicans, her intellect is on par with Obama's and she's a mental giant.

[CAHertzfe]

Palin was writing about "Fancy Pageant Walking: Doing It The Right Way".

[Kuuba]

Palin writing?
She was too busy attending 6 different colleges in 5 years, so clearly she was packing in between schools.

[Pleneras]

I was just about to make a similar comment. I can imagine what this woman who thinks her lifestyle and values should be imposed on us wrote about.

[tangelan]

Wow! He was such a brilliant writer even then.

[dnegri]

Curious, because about that time, behind his warlike rhetoric, Reagan was talking about the same thing.
Some think his thinking was really shaped by the ABC TV "mega film" (for that time) about the effects of nuclear war on a US community in Kansas.

[Sylmason]

I guess he's not making it up as he goes. This wonderful president of ours is quite consistent.

[december30]

Yes he is consistent. You know it and see it and so do I as well as so many others, too bad the naysayers don't see it. All we have to do is keep supporting our President and in the end, everything will be alright.

[wizedollars]

I choose to support the Constitution and liberty.

[flash LI]

You and Chairman 'O' keep clicking together those Ruby Red Slippers. HOPE AND CHANGE, HOPE AND CHANGE - HAHA lol