The nuclear weapons era is making a comeback, and experts say we're all not paying attention

Wed, 08/07/2024 - 13:07

A collage of a photo of a nuclear bomb over an image of the Chinese flag — As China builds its nuclear arsenal and Russia keeps making nuclear threats, the US is being urged to look into its own build-up.
Getty; Rebecca Zisser/BI

Nuclear weapons are poised to once again take center stage, decades after the Cold War ended.
The US, threatened by a rising China, is being advised to consider an expansion of its nuclear forces.
Leading experts told BI that few in the public are paying attention the worrying trends.

In 2022, Congress formed the Strategic Posture Commission — a bipartisan team of 12 experts hand-picked to advise the US on what to do with its nuclear weapons.

These are rare. The only other time Congress created such a group was in 2008.