August 22, 2021
Entangled America: Why Another International Nuclear Arms Race Has Begun
Washington’s ability to “hedge” against a collapse of the nuclear treaties supporting the reduction of weapons in Russia and other countries is disappearing.
by Peter Huessy
The United States signed its first arms agreement with the Soviet Union in 1972. Since then, there was always a caution that if its adversary in Moscow failed to live up to the terms of the agreement, then the United States had to preserve the capability to expand U.S. nuclear deterrent.
The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) I of 1972 allowed a five-fold increase in Soviet and U.S. nuclear warheads—even with limits placed on overall strategic nuclear delivery vehicles known as SNDVs. This breakout treaty was less of an issue then than it is today. Despite the huge increase in allowed Soviet multi-warhead land-based missiles, U.S. officials have described the SALT deal to be consistent with the new era of “détente” and peaceful coexistence.
https://nationalinterest.org/feature/entangled-america-why-another-international-nuclear-arms-race-has-begun-192136
