War News: China, which has already decided that it needs more nuclear weapons to match current US force levels (and those of Russia and India), is planning to expand its own arsenal even further to meet the US and Russian Can respond well to growth.
The US should prepare for a possible simultaneous war with Russia and China by expanding its conventional forces, strengthening alliances and enhancing its nuclear weapons modernization program, a congressionally appointed bipartisan panel said Thursday.
This report has come in the background of increasing tensions with China over Taiwan and growing differences with Russia over its ‘invasion’ of Ukraine. The Strategic Posture Commission released its long-awaited report on US nuclear policy and strategic stability.
The 12-member commission was selected by Congress in 2022 to assess the threat, consider changes to the US military’s posture, and provide recommendations. In contrast to the Biden administration’s nuclear posture review, the Strategic Posture Commission report fully supports the US nuclear build.
This includes recommendations for the US to prepare to increase the number of its deployed weapons as well as increase the production of bomber aircraft, air-launched cruise missiles, ballistic missile submarines, non-strategic nuclear forces and weapons production capacity.
It also calls for the US to consider deploying multiple warheads on land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and adding road-mobile ICBMs to its arsenal. The only thing that appears to prevent the Commission from recommending an immediate increase in the US nuclear weapons stockpile is that the weapons production complex does not currently have the capacity to do so.
The Commission’s acceptance of the US nuclear buildup ignores the consequences of a potential arms race with Russia and China (indeed, the Commission does not even consider or suggest steps other than the buildup to address the problem) Is). If the US responds to the Chinese buildup by increasing its own deployed warheads and launchers, Russia will probably respond by increasing its own deployed warheads and launchers. This will increase the nuclear threat against America and its allies.
China, which has already decided that it needs more nuclear weapons to match current US force levels (and those of Russia and India), could well respond to US and Russian growth by expanding its own arsenal even further.
Can respond in kind. This would leave America back where it started, feeling inadequate and facing increasing nuclear threats. The commission’s report is generally framed around the possibility of Russian and Chinese strategic military cooperation against the US.
