Avatar photoGates to Triad: Drop Dead

Is the Triad a Cold War relic, like Ice Station Zebra? I have long thought that a significant reduction in nuclear weapons — say 1000 or fewer deployed warheads — would require not merely downloading of warheads, but cuts to force structure and a possible end to the triad (see page 93). One reason for …

Avatar photoReader Comments in the NY Times

Congratulations Rick, you made the New York Times! In the New York Times Magazine, Bill Broad playfully detailed how North Korea’s rocket launch was used in the policy debate over missile defense. For a witty opening, he linked to a quote by reader “Rick” — posted on the blog — who noted: Pacific plankton will …

Avatar photoPandemic: Response depends on Virulence

click on the image for a larger version R is the number of secondary cases caused by each infected person; thus R=1.1 means for each ten people sick, one more person will come down with the disease they will transmit it to 11 other people; R=3 means that each infected person transmits it to three …

Avatar photoEdward Teller on the ABM Treaty

Another dispatch from Michael Krepon’s shoebox, this one related to late Edward Teller (right) and his argument for ratifying the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty: “The ABM Treaty which is up for ratification… merely recognizes political realities. We must make a choice if we indeed care for the American people. We might decide to spend a …