History Component - Research and Argument of the Ethics of Weapn Development

Is it moral for societies to develop weapons of mass destruction for any reason? 
As a child, many people are taught to "treat others how you want to be treated (Granoff) ." But in the midst of war, does that principle still apply? Many say that developing weapons of mass destruction  only cause more and more violence in the world, but others say its a matter of safety. I think theres a happy medium between the two. I think it developing more weapons does cause more violence, and that theres always a better way to solve your problems, but in the modern world its just not realistic. The world is a big place, and people will not always get along, there will always be some sort of conflict going on. Its important to not let things get carried away and let the focus become like a competition for who has the lastest weapon, but its important to not get so behind in the development of weapons, that your saftety becomes a risk. Ideally, everyone should just put their guns away and solve their problems face to face, and treat others how they want to be treated (Granoff).