Could a Strong Deterrence Posture Keep Putin From Launching a Nuclear Attack?

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

Kris Osborn, Warrior Maven President – Center for Military Modernization

Hello and welcome to warrior Maven, the Center for military modernization very significant conversation today in light of the nuclear threat posed by Putin and the Russian military. Sure enough, the forces were not only put on alert, but there have been even more recent threats, of course, along with the use of hypersonic weapons it for the first time ever, here to talk about this as a very gifted expert, Mr. Peter Huessy. He is a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, a Non-Resident Fellow at the Atlantic Council, and also has his own consultancy GeoStrategic Analysis, Mr. Huessy, thank you so much for your expertise.

Peter Huessy, Senior Warrior Maven Nuclear Weapons Analyst

Thank you, Kris, for inviting me. It’s an honor to talk with you today.

Kris Osborn, Warrior Maven President – Center for Military Modernization

Could Putin hold the world hostage with this nuclear threat? And should that even be possible? It calls to mind something I know you’ve been tracking for several years as well, 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. I remember former Secretary Mattis speaking on the Hill, telling members of Congress look, we are asking for low yield nuclear weapons, not because we want or intend to use them. But to bring Russia back to the negotiating table to let those in power who have decision making authority have the widest possible contingency of deterrence options available to them. And of course, that we get a call for a submarine launched nuclear armed cruise missile and lower yield variants of the Trident II D-5, as well as other potential avenues of adding options to commanders. What’s your sense of that?

Peter Huessy, Senior Warrior Maven Nuclear Weapons Analyst