EP 126 | Is the United States in the Correct Nuclear Alert Posture Right Now?

On the fourth day of the war in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s nuclear forces into a higher state of alert, the first time the Kremlin has done so since the Russian Federation was established in 1991. Unfortunately, the Biden administration should have countered Putin’s order by putting its bombers, nuclear silos and submarines on a higher alert level. Instead, the White House made clear that it had not changed. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations also told the Security Council that Russia was “under no threat” and chided Putin for “another escalatory and unnecessary step that threatens us all.” The administration went even further and canceled its regularly scheduled firing of an unarmed combat ready intercontinental ballistic missile, that is critical to message our adversaries that our missiles are reliable and ready. So, are these measures de-escalatory as the administration suggest? I suggest not, they have actually escalated the conflict toward a nuclear exchange because we have openly told President Putin that he could actually win in a nuclear exchange with us, the exact opposite impression of what nuclear deterrent operations is supposed to produce. Nuclear deterrent operations are intended to keep foremost in our adversary’s mind that he or she will risk complete destruction if they launch on us but if we don’t maintain nuclear alert readiness parity with that adversary, he or she is NOT seeing that we have the political will and resolve to use our arsenal if necessary. Today’s guest is a dynamic Military & Political Consultant, NY Times Bestselling Author, and noted Speaker with a history as a USAF Combat Pilot, Commander, and Sr. Military Air Force Aide to President Bill Clinton, which means he’s carried the nuclear decision handbook (the football) and been trained on how to guide the President of the United States in its use to first deter a nuclear strike or launch an option if necessary. Retired Air Force Lt Colonel Buzz Patterson