Straighter talk needed on nuclear deterrence

On May 27th, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain outlined his vision for a McCain Administration’s policy towards nuclear deterrence.  Unfortunately, it appears that Senator McCain’s policies fall short of the measures needed to assure the “credible and effective” American deterrent for which he calls.

For example, while McCain correctly stresses the need to maintain such a deterrent, he simultaneously endorses several initiatives seemingly adopted from the playbook of prominent proponents of de-nuclearization, including, notably, former Republican Secretaries of State George Shultz and Henry Kissinger, former Clinton Secretary of Defense William Perry, and former Democratic Senator Sam Nunn.  These include apparently unilateral reductions in the size of the U.S. nuclear arsenal and “re-consideration” of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.  

More worrying, still, is the absence of initiatives like those recommended by the New Deterrent Working Group, sponsored by the Center for Security Policy.  In a paper recently submitted to members of the congressionally chartered Commission on the U.S. Strategic Posture, the Working Group identifies the necessity of taking a series of steps if we are to avoid the systematic, if piecemeal de-nuclearization that Senator McCain evidently rejects.

As this general election proceeds, the Center urgently hopes that a rigorous and informed national debate about the future of our nuclear deterrent will feature prominently.  At a time when North Korea is being rewarded for dissembling about its covert nuclear weapons programs, even the IAEA acknowledges Iran’s “peaceful” nuclear activities have unmistakable military elements and Russia and China are vigorously upgrading their strategic offensive forces, there are few issues more in need of the American people’s attention – and that of their would-be Commanders in Chief.

The New Deterrent Working Group paper, "Towards a New Deterrent," is available as a PDF here.