16
October 2013
Past Event
“Minimum Deterrence: Examining the Evidence”

“Minimum Deterrence: Examining the Evidence”

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
October 16, 2013
Default Event Image
16
October 2013
Past Event

1015 15th Street, N.W., 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Speakers:
douglas_feith
Douglas J. Feith

Senior Fellow

John Harvey

Former Principal Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defense Programs

Ambassador Robert Joseph

Senior Scholar, National Institute for Public Policy

ADM Richard Miles, USN (ret)

Chairman, Strategic Advisory Group for the U.S. Strategic Command

Keith Payne

President, National Institute for Public Policy

Recently, President Obama called for large reductions in the U.S. nuclear arsenal from the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty levels, which could leave the U.S. with roughly 1,000 weapons. The President's announcement has renewed the debate over the appropriate size of the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal.

Advocates of a Minimum Deterrence strategy applaud the move and view it as progress towards a nuclear-free world; skeptics maintain that deeply reduced force levels would leave the United States and its allies vulnerable and that Minimum Deterrence relies on unrealistic hopes and unreliable assumptions.

The National Institute for Public Policy's report, Minimum Deterrence: Examining the Evidence, offers valuable insight into this debate and makes a compelling case that the Minimum Deterrence position builds on utopian hopes and is contrary to historic experience. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand U.S. nuclear forces policy and the proposals for reductions.

Our panel made a critical review of the report and discussed its implications for U.S. nuclear weapons policy.

Related Events
08
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Relearning Great Power Diplomacy: A Conversation with Wess Mitchell
Featured Speakers:
Wess Mitchell
A detail photo of “A Peace Conference at the Quai d'Orsay” by William Orpen. (Wikimedia Commons)
08
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Relearning Great Power Diplomacy: A Conversation with Wess Mitchell

Join Hudson’s Peter Rough for a discussion with Wess Mitchell on the future of great power diplomacy.

A detail photo of “A Peace Conference at the Quai d'Orsay” by William Orpen. (Wikimedia Commons)
Featured Speakers:
Wess Mitchell
09
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
How Promoting Freedom in North Korea Makes America Safer and Stronger
Featured Speakers:
Representative Young Kim (R-CA)
Greg Scarlatoiu
Sean Chung
Rose Jang
Hannah Oh
Moderator:
Getty Images
09
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
How Promoting Freedom in North Korea Makes America Safer and Stronger

Join Hudson Institute for a discussion on the connection between human rights in North Korea and US national security.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Representative Young Kim (R-CA)
Greg Scarlatoiu
Sean Chung
Rose Jang
Hannah Oh
Moderator:
09
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The View from Bucharest with Foreign Minister Oana-Silvia Țoiu
Featured Speakers:
H.E. Oana-Silvia Țoiu
Getty Images
09
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The View from Bucharest with Foreign Minister Oana-Silvia Țoiu

With Peter Rough, Foreign Minister Țoiu will discuss Black Sea security, the war in Ukraine, Russia’s hybrid attacks, and Romania-US relations.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
H.E. Oana-Silvia Țoiu
10
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Deepening Russia-China Partnership
Featured Speakers:
John Lough
Sergey Aleksashenko
Moderator:
Getty Images
10
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Deepening Russia-China Partnership

Join Hudson Institute for a panel discussion on how the United States and its allies can combat the rise of this authoritarian alliance.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
John Lough
Sergey Aleksashenko
Moderator: