New report questions the necessity of ICBM silos in Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota
A massive recent report by the Federation of American Scientists calls into question whether ground-based nuclear missiles, like the ones siloed in Montana, are still necessary to the country’s safety.
The question of nuclear missiles is not new, but lead author Matt Korda, a research associate at the Nuclear Information Project of the federation, said the issue needs revisiting since the war system that was created at the beginning of the Cold War has outlived the Soviet Union, and the world’s political system has rapidly changed.
Korda explained that new security threats have presented themselves, which means that America’s defenses must adapt. For example, terrorism from small groups instead of threats from countries are a reality that was unlikely during the height of the Soviet-America conflict. Also, economic inequality and social unrest within the country have also changed the conversation. Furthermore, global warming and the effects of climate change and the new threat of pandemics mean that America must re-think its priorities.
The report, “Siloed Thinking: A Closer Look at the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent,” is a 120-page comprehensive study of the political theory behind the ground-based system, which mainly spans across three states, Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming. These ground-based, stationary missiles make up one-third of the nuclear arsenal of America, often referred to as the “triad,” which also includes a fleet of submarines with nuclear capabilities as well as bombers in the Air Force, which can be equipped with a nuclear payload.
Read more: https://dailymontanan.com/2021/07/28/new-report-questions-the-necessity-of-icbm-silos-in-montana-wyoming-and-north-dakota/
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