Russia And The U.S. Are Not Shedding Their Nuclear Weapons Programs

STR NEW / REUTERS

David Axe, Daily Beast: Russia’s Nuclear Surge: Putin Adding Nukes While Obama Cuts

Should we be worried that Moscow deployed 429 more warheads than Washington? Why the number may be misleading—and Putin ditching other treaties may be scarier.

As of Oct. 1, Russia had hundreds more nuclear warheads deployed than the United States did. A startling 429 more, in fact, according to the U.S. State Department.

Don’t panic quite yet. The current warhead gap is probably temporary. But that doesn’t mean all’s well when it comes to potentially world-ending weaponry.

The reason for the current disparity is simple. While the U.S. military has been steadily cutting the number of nukes it loads on submarines and bombers and in missile silos, Russian forces have recently been adding nukes.

Seemingly more worrying for the United States, Russia’s 1,796

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WNU Editor: David Axe's analysis that deployed nuclear stockpiles are always in flux is correct .... so not much can be concluded from that. But what is happening with other arms control agreements .... that is becoming a different story. And while I do expect tensions between U.S. and Russia will decrease over time .... and that some accommodation and agreements will be reached on this arms surge .... when that will start to happen is anyone's guess.