OPINION:
“America’s nuclear weapons neglect invites a new age of peril” (Web. Oct. 26) is commendable and could well have been headed “Way over time to consider nukes.” Tory Bruno is quite correct that multiple U.S. administrations have been reluctant to face a growing international instability while Russia and China enhance their nuclear stockpiles and develop facilities to attack our satellites.
It was 42 years ago that President Reagan warned the world that the whole concept of nuclear deterrence needed broadening beyond mutually assured destruction. He suggested the addition of defensive systems using emerging technology to avoid the need for immediate reaction to even a limited attack.
Later administrations falsely interpreted his warnings to develop terminal defenses to protect specific areas rather than the ability to intercept any missile of any range from anywhere. Such a system could be effective only by including space-based interceptors, which are belatedly due to be developed under President Trump’s authorization of the Golden Dome.
Equally important, as Mr. Bruno indicated, is an upgrading of our nuclear offensive systems. Mutually assured destruction may never have been a popular concept, but few can dispute that it has been a means of avoiding nuclear conflict between the major powers since the development of such weapons. An effective defense coupled with enhanced deterrence systems can continue this standoff.
Hopefully, this and similar warnings can be understood by governments and the public. Nuclear weapons may not be popular, but they exist and they are not going away, so we have to continue to develop and operate systems to ensure they are not used to end civilization.
STANLEY ORMAN
Rockville, Maryland
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