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> Non-proliferation folks who think they can actually rid the world of nukes. Will not happen.

It looks to me that you're shifting the goalposts here: nonproliferation has effectively reduced the number of countries with access to nukes. Or is worrying about the number of direct military conflicts between nuclear-armed powers an example of what you call 'missing the point'?

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The nuclear non-proliferation treaty has eventual complete disarmament as a stated goal. So the subset of people who believe not just in not increasing the number of countries with nukes, but eventually getting that number of countries to 0, are unrealistic. The fewer the number of nuclear powers, the greater the incentive is to cheat. Maximum incentive is when the number is 0 - get nukes and you rule the world. Until it goes to 2 again, and so on.

Larger point being: with some disruptive technology, like nuclear weapons, if it can be done, it will be done.

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