Political Quotes

“The Senator from Arizona made some good points, I think, about the importance of the triad in maintaining our nuclear capability and deterrence. I am interested in knowing if the Senator is aware that even if you assume the numbers that are in the 1251 report that would take the number of bombers down to 60--and it is up to 60, but the treaty calls for 700 delivery vehicles, which, if you took that out of bombers, would take you down to 40--that even taking it to 60 would cut in half the number of nuclear bombers. Is the Senator also aware bombers are the best vehicle to enforce extended deterrence? The ICBMs, the missiles we have, our adversaries sometimes cannot see those. A bomber is visible. A bomber can be sent into theater. It has an impact, a psychological impact, a political impact. It is recallable. It is something that can be out there that makes those who would proliferate nuclear weapons even more concerned about the capability we have to respond. The importance of maintaining that leg of the triad is, in this Senator's judgment, critical. It sounds like, from what the Senator is saying, he understands that as well. I want to know if the Senator is aware that the limits that are imposed not only in the 1251 report but, more important, in the treaty would significantly reduce the number of nuclear bombers we have at our disposal today.”