Would you support the unilateral dismantling of all US nuclear weapons and their delivery systems?

[NNN0LHI]

[tekisui]

1. Of course. We have tens of thousands. It would be a lengthy process.

But, the effort and the gesture would go far in encouraging reciprocal actions from other nations.

[Statistical]

2. Slightly less than that. More like thousands than tens of thousands.

It has been about 2 decades since we had "tens of thousands" =20,000+.

We have about 9000 now (5000 active & 4000 dismantled).

The current "enduring stockpile" plan is to eliminate about 4000 or so more by 2012 brining us to around 5000 total warheads (about half active).

Mainly we are eliminating obsolete designs and the "super weapon" designs like 1.5 & 5Megaton devices (city killers). Lots of bombs are going since they are obsolete in modern war. Silo based missiles are being non-mirved (reduced to single warhead). Bomber fleet scaled back and will exclusively use air launch cruise missiles. The sub fleet will make up about half of nuclear warheads.

Lots of consolidation to about 5 warhead designs (in 300-450 kt range). Warheads being upgraded to latest safety devices. Modern warheads can be dropped from a plane, set of fire, even short circuit and detonate and not go critical.



I think a slow phased out process involving all nuclear nations is better than a unilateral disarmament.

We could go beyond the 2012 number and drop it to 1000 or so (from 5000). 600 on Ohio class subs (100 per sub), 200 silo based ICBMs and the rest air-launch cruise missiles, and gravity bombs.

[LWolf]

3. YES. nt