“After decades of nuclear weapons being consigned to the margins of national security, it is important for senior political and military leaders to re-acquaint themselves with nuclear capabilities, both ours and those of competitors,” Mahnken said. “Previous generations of national security leaders had an intimate understanding of our capabilities and those of our adversaries. Having lived through World War II and the Cold War, when we actually tested our nuclear stockpile, they had a deep respect for nuclear weapons. To today’s leaders, both in the U.S. and abroad, nuclear capabilities are largely abstract. Whereas past leaders, from the President on down, participated in war-games that explored nuclear use scenarios, such activity today occurs rarely, if at all. That is worrisome given them more competitive strategic environment that we are in.”
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