Debate over US nuclear policy
By Messenger staff
Tuesday, April 30
On April 27, the American Friendship Club organized a project-debate called the US’ Nuclear Policy in the 20th and 21st Centuries, aimed at reducing the world's nuclear weapons arsenal.
Undergraduate students aged 19-24 participated in the project. There were two groups of debaters staffed by selected applicants who were either pro or anti-nuclear weapons.
Each team consisted of 6 members and selected their own speakers. The teams discussed three main resolutions: Was the U.S. decision to use nuclear weapon in Japan right or not; is it right or not to use nuclear weapons?
Representative of the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Mr. Jeremy Richart, gave a brief presentation to the participants at the beginning of the project. This presentation was greatly beneficial for the participants to understand the topic.
The team who was pro-nuclear weapon claimed nuclear energy can be used for peaceful reasons, like to create holes in the ground for further reservoirs. According to this team, the usage of nuclear weapon against Japan had hastened the end of the war, thus saved lives.
The opposing team said the nuclear weapon possess devastating power, pointing out that they have a negative influence on environment and people, while in the case of Japan, they thought an alternative way could have been found via diplomatic negotiations and certain types of regulations.
The team against the nuclear weapon was nominated by the jury as the winner of the project, but all participants received certificates.
President of American Friendship Club Ilia Zukakishvili is sure that this project helped the participants develop many skills, such as reasoning and supporting the opinion with arguments. Moreover, he said the participants were better familiarized with the foreign and nuclear policies of the US.
