At the height of the Cold War when the precipice of destruction was all too close leaders met and changed history. Very few people thought it was possible. Again fundamental change is needed. The Pentagon has highlighted the increased risks facing us and the increased likelihood of the use of nuclear weapons but offers no realistic route to greater security while continually asking for and getting more modernized weaponry.

Military policy makers seem to ignore steps that could immediately lower the risk of the use of nuclear weapons by accident, design or madness and actually believe that by making the weapons more usable and “safe, secure, and reliable” we become safer and more secure. We do not agree and for that reason advocate immediate modest steps to lower the risk of use. Pledges to never use them first is such a policy shift.

Further, new thinking to meet today’s rapidly accelerating changes is needed. A sober analysis by Ward Wilson of the current situation of nuclear disarmament advocacy is worth serious consideration and below please note links to a book by Ambassador James Goodby, a member of GSI’s Nonpartisan Security Group, and a sophisticated article by Professor Martin Hellman of Stanford which both set forth approaches for progress.

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