289 - Robert Peters: Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence: China, Missile Defense, and the Future of Strategic Stability
Shownotes
The nuclear landscape is changing, and U.S. deterrence strategy must change with it. In this episode of NucleCast, Robert “Bob” Peters examines how the rise of China as a nuclear power, the continuing challenge posed by North Korea, and an increasingly complex security environment are reshaping the requirements for credible deterrence.
The conversation explores whether current U.S. nuclear modernization efforts are sufficient, the need for effective deterrence in the Western Pacific, and how conventional and theater-range nuclear capabilities can work together to influence an adversary’s decision calculus. Bob also discusses the growing role of missile defense, the potential place for artificial intelligence in nuclear decision-making, and how better information can provide leaders with a decision advantage during a crisis.
At the heart of the discussion is a fundamental question: What must the United States do today to ensure its deterrent remains credible in a world with multiple nuclear-armed adversaries?
About Robert Peters
Robert Peters is Director of the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for National Security at The Heritage Foundation, where his work includes strategic stability, nuclear deterrence, missile defense, and arms control. He previously served as lead strategist at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and as a Senior Research Fellow at National Defense University’s Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction. He also served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, where his work included the New START Treaty and the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review
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