ABSTRACT

The nuclear arsenal of either Russia or America is enough to blow up the world many times over. And they both continue to develop and stockpile nuclear weapons and contend that this is needed for security. In a world of changing technology, this means constant research and upgrading of weapons and more and more powerful and destructive systems: the nuclear arms race. The idea of deterrence is to be stronger so as to frighten the enemy—to deter him from aggression. Psychoanalysis is very familiar with vicious circles of hatred and fear. It teaches psychoanalysts that in an individual, destructive and self-destructive drives can only be modified when the individual can get some insight into his motives and visualise the consequences to others and to himself of his action. September 11 2002 was a major trauma, which had powerful repercussions, particularly for the Western world.