A Nuclear Hedge Against Aliens

Thomas P.M. Barnett is not keen on nuclear abolition:

Abolition is a bad idea. Keeping our nukes up to date is a very good idea.

The system is nowhere near prepared or integrated enough to abolish nuclear weapons, and even if it was, I'd keep them on the sheer assumption that not everybody and everything I might meet in space someday is going to like me.

Aliens aside, I don't understand why Obama would waste any political capital on nuclear abolition. It will never happen. That ship sailed decades ago. Nor should it happen. The U.S. could definitely stand to trim her supply of nukes, but should always keep a sufficient number on hand to credibly threaten any nuclear adversary.

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Photo via jurvetson under a CC License.