Monday, August 13, 2007

Bombs on Parade

Efforts to build a new generation of nuclear weapons got some well-deserved attention yesterday.

In an attempt to spur public debate on the necessity of nuclear weapons, Parade Magazine (with a circulation of 71 million readers) published a brief article on the so-called Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) program. (Click here for more information on RRW.)

The article largely frames the debate on RRW by alternating quotes from critics and acolytes of the program, but also provides some basic figures on nuclear weapons worldwide (although mention of nuclear weapons held by India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel is notably absent).

It concludes by challenging the reader to answer the questions: Should our goal be a nuclear-free world, or are nukes still vital for our defense? And if we need them, should we build a new arsenal?

If you’re so inclined, click here to drop your two cents and answer an informal poll on the topic.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, I haven't looked at Parade magazine for years, but what I remember is that they mostly had fluff celebrity pieces, with an occasional "this is what the President eats for lunch" sort of piece.

I'm very impressed. Outside us nuke nerd bloggers and other wonky political news folks, how many American taxpayers know about the RRW program? Aside from the "the Russians are still gonna get us!" types (yes, I've met those in recent years), I can't imagine that people on either side of the political fence would find it terribly useful to build a whole new (and expensive!) generation of nuclear warheads.

Thanks for the post. Excellent stuff, as always!!

Jeff Lindemyer said...

You're exactly right and that's why it's such great press!