DIGITAL MAGAZINE

January 2020

DIGITAL MAGAZINE

January 2020

Cover design by Thomas Gaulkin

A Minuteman III missile crew on alert.

Why nuclear weapons should be a major focus of the 2020 campaign

By John Mecklin

The proverbial alien beamed down to Earth would find the situation quizzical indeed: The political debates and campaigns involved in selecting the most powerful person on the planet—the US president—scarcely mention the stark fact that any president could at any time be called to decide, almost instantly, whether to order a nuclear attack that would lead to the end of civilization and, possibly, the human species.
A Minuteman III missile crew on alert.

Why nuclear weapons should be a major focus of the 2020 campaign

By John Mecklin

The proverbial alien beamed down to Earth would find the situation quizzical indeed: The political debates and campaigns involved in selecting the most powerful person on the planet—the US president—scarcely mention the stark fact that any president could at any time be called to decide, almost instantly, whether to order a nuclear attack that would lead to the end of civilization and, possibly, the human species.
Alexandra Bell

What the presidential candidates should be asked about arms control and nonproliferation

By Alexandra Bell

The next president will have to deal with many pressing questions, but few are as consequential as this one: Do we want to live in a world in which the number of nuclear weapons is going up or going down? The American public should be aware of the candidates’ various nuclear weapons plans before they vote.
Bruce Blair

Loose cannons: The president and US nuclear posture

By Bruce G. Blair

The US president’s unfettered authority to order the use of nuclear weapons and an unstable US nuclear posture create a compound existential risk.
John Holdren

The overwhelming case for no first use

By John P. Holdren

Declaring a policy and posture of no first use of nuclear weapons offers the most conspicuous opportunity not yet taken for the United States to devalue the currency of nuclear weapons in world affairs. Importantly, this step could be accomplished by a US president on his or her own authority.
James N. Miller

No to no first use—for now

By James N. Miller

Today, US policy is to consider the first use of nuclear weapons only in “extreme circumstances,” and only against adversaries who have nuclear weapons or are not in compliance with their Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations.
Brad Roberts

It’s time to jettison Nuclear Posture Reviews

By Brad Roberts

Since the end of the Cold War, there have been four Nuclear Posture Reviews (NPRs). Should there be a fifth? No. It’s time to move on. Despite their many virtues, these reviews are not delivering what the nation needs. Indeed, the entire policy and posture review architecture of which the NPR is a part needs … Continued

Cool your jets: Some perspective on the hyping of hypersonic weapons

By Ivan Oelrich

Russia, China, and the United States are in a race to develop and deploy hypersonic glide weapons. Hypersonic vehicles are defined as moving at a speed greater than five times the speed of sound.
Minuteman III missile in silo

Nuclear Notebook: United States nuclear forces, 2020

By Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda

The US nuclear arsenal remained roughly unchanged in the last year, with the Defense Department maintaining an estimated stockpile of approximately 3,800 warheads.
Alexandra Bell

What the presidential candidates should be asked about arms control and nonproliferation

By Alexandra Bell

The next president will have to deal with many pressing questions, but few are as consequential as this one: Do we want to live in a world in which the number of nuclear weapons is going up or going down? The American public should be aware of the candidates’ various nuclear weapons plans before they vote.
Bruce Blair

Loose cannons: The president and US nuclear posture

By Bruce G. Blair

The US president’s unfettered authority to order the use of nuclear weapons and an unstable US nuclear posture create a compound existential risk.
John Holdren

The overwhelming case for no first use

By John P. Holdren

Declaring a policy and posture of no first use of nuclear weapons offers the most conspicuous opportunity not yet taken for the United States to devalue the currency of nuclear weapons in world affairs. Importantly, this step could be accomplished by a US president on his or her own authority.
James N. Miller

No to no first use—for now

By James N. Miller

Today, US policy is to consider the first use of nuclear weapons only in “extreme circumstances,” and only against adversaries who have nuclear weapons or are not in compliance with their Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations.
Brad Roberts

It’s time to jettison Nuclear Posture Reviews

By Brad Roberts

Since the end of the Cold War, there have been four Nuclear Posture Reviews (NPRs). Should there be a fifth? No. It’s time to move on. Despite their many virtues, these reviews are not delivering what the nation needs. Indeed, the entire policy and posture review architecture of which the NPR is a part needs … Continued

Cool your jets: Some perspective on the hyping of hypersonic weapons

By Ivan Oelrich

Russia, China, and the United States are in a race to develop and deploy hypersonic glide weapons. Hypersonic vehicles are defined as moving at a speed greater than five times the speed of sound.
Minuteman III missile in silo

Nuclear Notebook: United States nuclear forces, 2020

By Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda

The US nuclear arsenal remained roughly unchanged in the last year, with the Defense Department maintaining an estimated stockpile of approximately 3,800 warheads.

Cover design by Thomas Gaulkin

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Albert Einstein in Washington, D.C., between 1921 and 1923. Harris & Ewing, photographers. Courtesy of the Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2016885961/

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