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Former Crypto-Analyst Analyzes the Danger of Nuclear Weapon Stockpiles
An anonymous reader writes "IEEE Spectrum reports that noted encryption pioneer Prof. Martin Hellman has a new passion; estimating the risk of our current nuclear weapons policies. His web site, Defusing the Nuclear Threat, asks the question, 'How risky are nuclear weapons? Amazingly, no one seems to know.' Hellman therefore did a preliminary analysis and found the risk to be 'equivalent to having your home surrounded by thousands of nuclear power plants.' The web site and a related statement therefore urgently call for more detailed studies to either confirm or correct his startling conclusion. The statement has been signed by seven notable individuals including former NSA Director Adm. Bobby R. Inman and two Nobel Laureates."
The whole point of maintaining overkill is having reliable second strike capability. That is, a nuclear power can destroy another nuclear power, even if she is attacked first. Majority of nuclear weapons are not ready to be deployed very quickly. So it makes perfect sense to destroy as many of them as possible, as early as possible. Which means when one flies, they all fly, to destroy as many enemy weapons as possible. The idea of limited nuclear war between nuclear powers is absurd.