Deterring that attack has been the essential foundation upon which the rest of our defense efforts depend, because if we don’t do that then nothing else that we are doing in defense matters very much. And so, for 70 years, the most serious existential threat to the United States has been a nuclear attack against our homeland. But when the foundation crumbles, then all the marble countertops and all the fancy wallpaper and all the expensive furniture really doesn’t matter much, when the house – they all become pretty worthless. I think of a house, and I think of a foundation upon which you can build all sorts of interesting specialized rooms and do all sorts of things there. You know, you hear stuff like that a lot, those sorts of phrases, but just passing off a label doesn’t really tell you about why it’s important. And, number three, this Nuclear Posture Review moves us in a good direction that will ultimately, I think, be helpful. Number two, we’ve got a lot of work to do to ensure that our nuclear deterrent continues to perform its vital mission. (Laughter.) Number one is that our nuclear deterrent has for 70 years and remains the cornerstone of our national security efforts. Like any good preacher, I’ve got three points. And necessarily, given my job, it’s going to have somewhat of a more political tint to it – not a partisan, but the political system tint to it – about strategic deterrence and some of the implications. So, subscribing to the view that it’s often more important to be reminded of what you already know whether than educated about the obscure, I’m going to spend a few minutes just on the basics, at least my perspective of the basics. I got to hear a little bit of that earlier today. Look, I understand it’s after 5:00 and you all have heard from a number of leading experts. And I also appreciate all the help, guidance, and wisdom you have given me from early days all the way through today. And I will say I very much appreciate all of the work that CSIS is doing and has done on the issue of strategic deterrence and other aspects of national security as well. REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAM “MAC” THORNBERRY (R-TX): Well, thank you, John. He’s now ready to help the rest of us get up to speed, and we’re going to hear some of that tonight with his remarks.Īnd so would you please, with your applause, welcome the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Mac Thornberry? (Applause.) For many, many years we’ve rather drifted intellectually on the question of nuclear policy. This is a chairman that has to be responsible for so many things these days that stretch across the landscape of security policy, but he continues to give unusual focus for this very important issue. But he’s gotten a much broader field of view now about all things nuclear, and we’ve had a fascinating conversation just now while we were waiting for the room to get reconfigured. I think the first time we met, Chairman, we were talking about Pantex, you know, and he had a more narrow interest in Pantex back then because, obviously, of his district. But I understand why, too, that it’s a unique opportunity for all of us to hear from Chairman Thornberry. HAMRE: (In progress) – after a long day, so it must be a very good session. Responding to Egregious Human Rights AbusesĪssessing the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review: Closing Keynote and Discussion.Building Sustainable and Inclusive Democracy.Family Planning, Maternal and Child Health, and Immunizations.Energy, Climate Change, and Environmental Impacts.Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation. Defense Industry, Acquisition, and Innovation.Intelligence, Surveillance, and Privacy.
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