Political Quotes

On the recordDecember 20, 2010
For those watching this debate who may be unfamiliar with some of the terminology used in these arms control treaties such as the term ``delivery vehicles,'' it is important to understand that delivery vehicles simply means the nuclear triad of systems: bombers, submarines, and land based intercontinental ballistic missiles or ICBMs. This triad of delivery vehicles is very valuable because it is resilient, survivable, and flexible, meaning that if, God forbid, we suffer a nuclear attack, those who attacked us can never be sure that they have knocked out our ability to respond with a nuclear strike. Obviously, without the means to deliver nuclear weapons, an adversary would not take seriously our ability to respond to a nuclear attack. As the numbers of delivery vehicles goes down, it becomes more and more important to make sure they are modernized and that they work as intended. And as numbers get reduced, it begins to have an impact on whether we can effectively retain the triad, making it more likely that our nation would have to eliminate a leg of the triad.…
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John Thune
Republican · South Dakota

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