Minimum Deterrence: Examining the Evidence

Recently, President Obama called for a one-third reduction in the United States nuclear arsenal from the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty levels. Such reductions would leave the U.S. with roughly 1,000 weapons. The President's announcement has renewed the debate over the appropriate size of U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal. Advocates of a minimum deterrence posture applaud the announcement and view it as an endorsement for progress towards a nuclear-free world. Skeptics of minimum deterrence maintain that reduced force levels would leave the United States and its allies vulnerable and are largely based on unrealistic hopes and unreliable assumptions.