General Cartwright on the U.S. Nuclear Arsenal: “the current arsenal carries the baggage of the cold war”
In a report to be issued today by Global Zero, retired General James Cartwright, the former Vice Chairman of the JCS, argues that the current level of U.S. nuclear forces is an anachronism from the Cold War. In an interview Gen. Cartwright said:
“The world has changed, but the current arsenal carries the baggage of the cold war. There is the baggage of significant numbers in reserve. There is the baggage of a nuclear stockpile beyond our needs. What is it we’re really trying to deter? Our current arsenal does not address the threats of the 21st century.”
He feels that U.S. nuclear deterrence can be effectively guaranteed with 900 nuclear warheads, down from the limit of 1,550 warheads set in the New START agreement with Russia. These reductions will reduce an already inflated force and save $100 billion over a decade.
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