The NIDS View

Adam, Curtis, and Jim engage in a thought-provoking discussion on Dr. Brad Roberts' article "The Next Chapter in US Nuclear Policy." They dissect Dr. Roberts' adversaries' theory of victory, the complexities of nuclear disarmament, and the crucial role of a credible deterrent.

Adam, Curtis, and Jim assess David Trachtenberg's article "how the lack of a two-war strategy erodes extended deterrence and assurance" and discuss the implications for national security strategy.

Adam, Alex, and Curtis discuss China's nuclear arsenal expansion, their motives, and the need for the US to address the issue.

Curtis and Kirk discuss several current national security news topics occurring in June 2024. The new annual SIPRI report release, NATO's call for more nukes (and Russia's response), and Putin's latest peace negotiation offer. https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2024/role-nuclear-weapons-grows-geopolitical-relations-deteriorate-new-sipri-yearbook-out-now https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/...

Adam, Curtis, and Jim discuss an article by Peter Huessy in response to an article by Tara Drozdenko arguing for the elimination of the ICBM leg of the triad.

Adam, Curtis, and Jim discuss Hal Brands' article "An 'America First' World" published on ForeignAffairs.com . Dr. Brands assesses what a Second "America First" presidency might mean for foreign and defense policy. The guys debate interventionism versus non-interventionism, evaluating which approach is better and how deterrence might impact the policy.

Adam, Chris Stone, and Kerry Kartchner discuss Russian space activities and their potential violations of the Outer Space Treaty as well as impact on global security.

Jim Stokes joins Adam and Alex as they discuss the role of NATO in the current geopolitical landscape.

Adam, Alex, and special guest, Mike Carey, discuss the future of Russia and China after the war in Ukraine and the potential conflict over Taiwan.

Adam, Curtis, and Jim discuss the merits of article 'What We Don't Know About Nuclear Deterrence Could Hurt Us' by Paul Poast. The hosts explore the validity of the points made in the article and the challenges of measuring the effectiveness of deterrence.

Adam and Curtis join noted China expert, Dr Alex Littlefield to explore the trendy idea of a new cold war between the US and China and highlight the political, economic, technological, and military traits of China that make it a more formidable adversary than the Soviet Union.

Jim, Curtis, and Adam discuss Macron's vision of a Euro-defense force underwritten by French nuclear weapons.

Jim, Adam, and Chris, discuss delays in the nuclear modernization programs and what the implications of those delays might be.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization celebrates it's 75th anniversary. Adam and Curtis discuss the past, present, and future of the organization.

Adam, Curtis, Peter, and special guest, Lindell Lucy, discuss Annie Jacobsen's best-selling book, "Nuclear War: A Scenario"

Adam, Alex, and Kirk explore the credibility of the United States as an ally and provider of extended deterrence to NATO and Asian countries.

Adam, Curtis, and Chris discuss article in War on the Rocks : America Needs a Dead Hand More Than Ever and address the changing threat landscape. ( America Needs a Dead Hand More than Ever - War on the Rocks )

Jim, Curtis, and Adam argue that added context is needed before deciding that the Sentinel ICBM is too expensive. Read full article here: https://breakingdefense.com/2024/03/the-sentinel-icbm-remains-affordable-because-context-matters/

Putin has warned that he is ready to use nuclear weapons. Jim, Curtis, and Adam discuss whether Americans should be concerned.

Curtis, Adam, Kirk, and Chris discuss a recent article from Global Security Review by Amit Gupta called "Is Trump Right about Europe?" while exploring the value and controversies of NATO's 2% of GDP expense requirement.

Jim is joined by former Congressman Chris Stewart and Dr. Alex Littlefield to discuss the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ January 2024 publication titled Chinese Nuclear Weapons 2024 . The conversation explores China’s evolving nuclear posture, its strategic ambitions, and the implications for U.S. deterrence policy. Key topics include: The accuracy and limitations of open-source estimates of C...

Adam and Jim discuss what the strategy could be behind a Russian nuclear space weapons program.

Curtis hosts three experts in Australia, Dr. Christine Leah, Dr. Carl Rhodes, and Natalie Treloar, as they discuss AUKUS from an Australian perspective and its association with deterrence.

In this two-part episode, the NIDS team dives into key takeaways from the 2025 Nuclear Deterrence Summit in Washington, D.C., and offers a critical analysis of the U.S. State Department’s annual implementation report on the New START Treaty . Part 1: Deterrence Summit Reflections Jim shares his first experience attending a non-technical deterrence conference, highlighting the value of in-person ne...

Jim, Curtis, and Adam review an article on the role of nuclear weapons in Taiwan crisis and discuss the implications of a China-U.S. conflict over Taiwan.