In Russia itself, nationalists increasingly link the retention of nuclear weapons to national pride. Beyond the borders of the United States and Russia, a few states still secretly covet nuclear weapons. The possibility that terrorists groups might obtain nuclear weapons is a real danger. The chemical and biological weapons conventions have not been ratified by the United States and Russia. Beyond issues of weapons of mass destruction, the world remains an exceptionally brutish place.
Genocide is on the evening news.
The United Nations, humankind's best hope for stopping such violence, has failed to fulfill our expectations, in part because the major powers have not gotten fully behind peacekeeping efforts. The growing gap between rich and poor is fueling desperation and conflict. Yes, the world extended the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty last May. And next year, the world may get a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. But on balance, the world is still a very dangerous place, and trends are in the wrong direction.