Talking frankly about nukes

August 1, 2009 · Posted in Blogroll, Uncategorized

Ares has a very interesting report on a recent symposium held by the US STRATCOM on matters of nuclear deterrence. The real value of the meeting was at the number of foreign experts involved, and the wide variety of doctrines and ideas expressed:

With the understandable exceptions of Iran and Korea, every nuclear power in the world was represented at the symposium. Speakers and delegates included the Catholic archbishop of Baltimore and arms-control advocates, senior US and non-US officers (including the UK’s First Sea Lord, Adm Sir Mark Stanhope), and an array of nuclear scientists and engineers including the "retirement-flunking" Dr John Foster, who started his career in electronic warfare with the US Army Air Force in 1943. Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak said it was "the only two-day sumposium where I never wanted to miss a single panel."

Major media covered the event heavily, if by major media you mean me, the Omaha World-Herald, the National Catholic Reporter and an arms-control website. But NBC nailed an interview with Michael Jackson’s chef on Thursday morning, so it’s all good.

Lots of very interesting doctrinal material in the report; a must-read.

Tags: nuclear weapons