As the nuclear posture review begins, the United States faces serious dilemmas. Its military officials must ask if the strategy underpinning the current U.S. nuclear deterrent policy assumes a continued New START deal with Russia and a required force structure need be no larger than the one already maintained? They must also ponder if the force structure the United States builds and the arms control regime it expects to be in place will be adequate for the next nuclear storm. 

Peter Huessy is Director of Strategic Deterrent Studies at the Mitchell Institute and President of Geostrategic Analysis of Potomac, Maryland.   

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