MAD? Who should have the power to decide?

Russia has announced a new super weapon, “Sarmat”, or more correctly the RS-28; the largest ICBM any country has built – a 3 stage missile that is 115 feet long and 9.8 feet wide with a total, fuelled weight of 458,000 pounds. Basically, a very big rocket that can boost up to ten tons into low-Earth orbit, a payload which per the press releases is a "Country Killer" capable of delivering up of “Ten large nuclear warheads, or 16 smaller ones, or a combination of warheads, countermeasures and/or nuclear tipped hypersonic boost-glide vehicles.”

Impressive stuff eh? and just one of a series of new Wunderwaffe announced with fanfare by the Russia leadership - a leadership that is currently giving a physical demonstration of its quest for peace by use of its military force to rain destruction on a free independent people in an attempt to expand its territory and revisit its own historical imperial triumphs.

These are weapons that seem to give a belief in a usable first strike ability. A belief that would end the deterrent to nuclear conflict that has stood for the last 76 years:- the belief of all major nuclear powers in the concept of mutually assured destruction.

So, how does the West counter these new unstoppable vehicles of mass destruction to ensure the nuclear peace is maintained?

Does it just see it as hype, a display of weapons that Russia simply does not have the money to bring to active deployment or, are these developments that really do stand to change the delicate balance of world power to which a response must be made?

If the latter does the West revert to Reaganomics and again seek to force Russia to its financial knees in an esculating race to arms and a new strategic defense Initiative?, or maybe what is needed is a major raise in the stakes – for the West to develop a new weapon of ultimate destructive power; say a Quadium Bomb? A real doomsday device of such destructive power it could never be tested or used save to end all life on Earth. Such a weapon' would surly guarantee the futility of a nuclear exchange or of a counter development maintaining for ever the MAD deterrent?

But if such a weapon was to be built there would come a bigger problem: - who could be trusted with the god like power it delivers?

Should it be the builder, USA or NATO? Could it be the UN? In honesty none of the above have demonstrated the probity and universal acceptance necessary to carry such a burden. Maybe the ability to hold such power requires something different, say the power falling to a very small, fully independent nation-state that is a threat to no one. A state that is respected with reverance by the creator of the Bomb - a state that can boast some very special qualities.

Say,

• One that is dependent for its existence on a single activity or belief.

• One that is recognised worldwide as having only peaceful intent with a long history of articulating the case for peaceful existence.

• One that holds to a non-aligned , non-industrial standing

• One that already sits between, and has status within, the established power blocks and competitors for world dominance.

• One that whilst it retains an armed force, it is a small one. One that presents with mediaeval weapons so as to underscore its lack of overt threat.

• One that can grasp the moment when this new guarantee of world peace is introduced, that understands how to use power and is able to use its standing and worldwide network of supporters to capture the Q device and use it to hold the world to saneness?

In short what is needed is a state that is seen as committed to peace, is non-threatening to any nation but has a long history of using war as a way to preach peace, mediate international conflict, and commit humanitarian works.

An impossible dichotomy of qualities?

Maybe not; how about the role falling to the Vatican City?

It ticks the boxes;

• It is the worlds smallest fully independent nation-state

• It maintains a small but capable army (the Pontifical Swiss Guard) in medieval dress

• It is non-aligned

• It is committed to a single activity recognised worldwide as peaceful

• It is non-industrial so posses no trade threat

• It enjoys Worldwide recognition and mass affiliations

• It having secured the Q Bomb it could keep it safe in a location no nation would dare attack - deep below St Peter's Basilica.

All it needs to complete the vision is for Tully Bascomb to lead the elite Swiss Guard unit that secures the Bomb, for each nation to be in fear of its power and for each person's god to hold to its self the knowledge that it is a dud