trump-biggest-problem-me-world-nuclear-proliferation-paul-wayne

Paul Wayne
Interestingly and historically, it has been our Republican presidents who have most dramatically cut our nation's nuclear weapons stockpile over the last 50 years. See: http://open.defense.gov/Portals/23/Documents/frddwg/2015_Tables_UNCLASS.pdf

Fortunately, President Trump inherits a national nuclear weapons capability undergoing some prudent modernization activities, modernization which have long been underfunded and curtailed.

I am hopeful that the upcoming Defense Science Board's "Summer Study on Nuclear Deterrence in the 21st Century's Multi-Polar, Multi-Threat Strategic Environment" will provide useful and actionable recommendations to the Secretary of Defense and to President Trump. (see http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/tors/TOR-2016-11-14-Nuclear_Deterrence.pdf ).

If, back in 2008/09, or even back in 2000/2001, you had asked experts for their predictions of the state of the world's nuclear threats and our nation's nuclear capabilities in 2016/17, those predictions (best case, worst case, most probable) would probably be reasonably accurate. Iran (fortunately) still doesn't have extant nuclear weapons capabilities, North Korean nuclear capabilities have evolved (though probably not as rapidly as President Kim would like); Russia has continued to modernize their stockpile. In fact, no new nuclear powers have emerged on the world stage, no terrorists have threatened a nation with nuclear weapons, and overall stockpiles have continued to be reduced (though at a slowing pace).