Inhofe Questions Witnesses on United States Nuclear Strategy and Policy

Today, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, questions witnesses today at a committee hearing to receive testimony on United States Nuclear Strategy and Policy.

Witnesses include: the Honorable Madelyn Creedon, Research Professor at George Washington University in the Elliott School of International Affairs; the Honorable Rose Gottemoeller, Steven C. Hazy Lecturer at Stanford University Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Center for International Security and Cooperation; the Honorable Eric S. Edelman, Counselor at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments and Director, of the United States Institute of Peace.

Inhofe: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Maybe it's my age, but I enjoyed some of the reflections from the past that we shared this morning. Mr. Edelman when you said, "When we quit building, the Soviets build." How prophetic that was.

Mr. Miller, numerous Senior military officers have testified to their support for the continuing the Sea Launch cruise missile program as a means of offsetting the growth of Russia and China's nuclear arsenals, and I agree with this support. I'd ask you, first of all do you believe we should continue this program, and you should be able to continue other enhancements as well? Now, you offered in your opening statement to elaborate a little bit on that subject and I'll give you that chance now.

Miller: Thank you, Sen. Inhofe. Yes, I agree that a nuclear sea launch cruise missile is important, both to deter Russia and China, each of which have large tactical nuclear arsenals, and to reassure our allies who are faced by those specific tactical nuclear arsenals. So, it is a program that I think is modest but I think makes a useful contribution, and I don't think it creates any sort of arms race potential because we are basically at low levels there and Russia and China have much higher levels.

Inhofe: Yes, I agree with that excellent statement. This question is for all of the witnesses: considering what we know about China's nuclear breakout and Russia's large non-strategic nuclear weapons arsenal, do any of you believe that the United States should not continue modernizing its own forces? I'd like to have each one of you respond to that.

Creedon: Sen. Inhofe, I completely agree that the United States must continue its modernization programs of all three legs of the triad.

Gottemoller: I too agree that the United States must continue its modernization programs at pace across the program of record.

Edelman: Sen. Inhofe, as I said in my opening oral remarks, I think it is imperative that we do so to sustain deterrence into the future.

Miller: Senator, I absolutely agree. As I said in my remarks, I think in the out-years in the 2030's we may need to augment that program by buying more SSPNS and more long-range stand-off weapons, and I'm happy to elaborate on that at some point, if you want.

Inhofe: Thank you very much and I appreciate the specifics from each one of you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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