The Audio Long Read A new nuclear arms race is beginning. It will be far more dangerous than the last one
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Dec 6, 2024 Jessica T. Matthews, a prominent author and expert on nuclear policy, delves into the alarming resurgence of global nuclear tensions in this discussion. She examines the precarious state of arms control amid threats from Russia and China's fast-tracked weapons programs. Matthews warns of the risks associated with expiring treaties like New START and the dire implications of a modernized nuclear arsenal. She emphasizes the urgent need for diplomatic solutions as the world teeters on the brink of a new and far more dangerous arms race.
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New Nuclear Arms Race
- The 1985 Reagan-Gorbachev summit revealed the futility of nuclear war, leading to arms control efforts.
- Despite successes, these agreements are now collapsing, sparking a more dangerous, three-sided arms race.
Excessive Overkill
- In 1960, Eisenhower's advisors discovered the excessive overkill in nuclear war plans.
- The plan targeted a city similar to Hiroshima with bombs totaling 500 times the Hiroshima bomb's power.
One-Way Mission
- General Charles Boyd's pilots were issued lead-lined eye patches for nuclear bomb delivery.
- They expected one-way missions, believing there would be nowhere to land after a nuclear attack in Europe.
