JTW's Politics & History - Author: Chomsky, Noam
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Noam Chomsky on the U.S. Nuclear Arsenal
Early this year a high-level planning document was released through the Freedom of Information Act, one that got no publicity here but was very interesting.
It was a secret 1995 study of the Strategic Command of the United States, which is responsible for the nuclear arsenal.
The study is called "Essentials of Post Cold War Deterrence".
Do you remember Nixon's "Madman theory", which suggested the U.S. should appear like a mad man who fights everyone?
This document resurrects that theory and says that the U.S. should use its nuclear arsenal to portray itself as irrational and vindictive if its vital interests are attacked.
That should be part of the national persona we project to all adversaries.
It hurts to portray ourselves as too fully rational and cool-headed.
The fact that some elements of the U.S. government may appear to be out of control can be beneficial to creating and reinforcing fears and doubts in the minds of an adversary's decision-makers.
The Nixon theory was sort of informal, but remember that this is an official planning document of the Strategic Command in 1995.
I think the press knew what it was doing when it basically kept it secret.
The document is, after all, rather revealing and it provides interesting background to the current actions.
- Chomsky, Noam; Ramachandran, V.K.
- This Action Is A Call For A Lawless World In Which The Powerful Will Rule
- Frontline: Vol. 16, No. 1
- January 2-15, 1999
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