The author looks at recent nuclear 'near-misses' and urges more attention to be paid by the public and presidential candidates to the risk of accidental or inadvertent nuclear war. As a solution, he looks at the proposals for "dealerting" put forward by Dr. Bruce Blair of the World Security Institute.

Israeli military leaders have begun early planning for a new, robotic defense system, armed with enough artificial intelligence that it "could take over completely" from flesh-and-blood operators in the event of an all-out nuclear attack.

A new U.S. report that says China's nuclear strategy could result in an unnecessary nuclear conflict has grabbed the attention of Asian strategic analysts and the Western defense community.

The second failed test launch of Russia's experimental Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile in as many months has renewed doubts about the viability of the country's strategic nuclear deterrent, and in turn increased fears that Russian policy makers might adopt "hair-trigger" operational procedures to guarantee their nuclear forces could survive and respond to a first strike. Some commentators fear that Russian officials have equipped at least one of their secure underground leadership command posts with a "Dead Hand" doomsday communications rocket.

Nearly six years after the U.S. and Russia agreed to build a joint military center in Moscow to reduce the risk of accidental nuclear war, work on the project has stalled because the two nations can't agree about taxes and legal liability.

The risk of a Russian accidental nuclear launch is increasing due to their deteriorating early warning network. A U.S.-Russian program to improve joint early warning capabilities has stalled due to financial and legal issues.

The United States and Russia unnecessarily continue to maintain thousands of strategic nuclear missiles on high alert for mutual deterrence, heightening the possibility of a catastrophic, unintended launch, according to Bruce Blair, president of the Center for Defense Information.

The potential for an accidental or unauthorized nuclear missile launch in Russia or the United States has grown over the past decade despite warmer U.S.-Russian relations, according to a new report from the Rand Corporation.

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The United States and Russia could take thousands of strategic nuclear warheads off hair-trigger alert by introducing an early warning system of sensors that monitor each other's land-based intercontinental missiles, according to former senator Sam Nunn, who once was chairman of the Armed Services Committee.

An excellent discussion of the national security dimensions of the asteroid threat from a roundtable at the Marshall Institute. Transcript of discussion includes question and answer session.