US Nukes: Now It’s Our Turn to Catch Up to the Russians
America’s
nuclear arsenal, an afterthought to most after the Cold War, are badly
in need of upgrades that could cost up to a trillion dollars over the
next 30 years in order to keep pace with nuclear powers like Russia and
China, experts said.
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel made a rare visit to a nuclear weapons facility
in Wyoming, the first time a DOD chief has visited a nuclear
installation since 2008. His visit was a reminder of the country’s vast
and largely unnoticed nuclear infrastructure.
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This spending also comes after President Obama pledged to reduce nuclear stockpiles last year in Berlin.
“It’s
quite ironic in that he has visionary objective but in fact has made
very small reductions and is modernizing every component of the nuclear
establishment,” said Barry M. Blechman, co-founder of the Stimson
Center, a think tank dedicated to international security. “You wonder
what happened to his promise.”
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