Today, Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, and head of the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, participated in a fireside chat on Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy in collaboration with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The discussion was moderated by Kari Bingen, director of CSIS’ Aerospace Security Project and a senior fellow in CSIS’ International Security Program
Prior to the discussion, Chairman Turner delivered a major speech about the Russian nuclear anti-satellite threat.
What Was Discussed
The role of nuclear weapons in U.S. foreign policy and strategy
How the Intelligence Community is postured to address nuclear modernization, extended deterrence, and arms control
Notable Quotes
“The Space Age began when Russia launched Sputnik in 1957. The eyes of the world turned to the sky and wondered how space and technology would now change life on Earth. The Space Age will end when Russia launches its nuclear anti-satellite weapon into orbit. General Salzman, Chief of Staff of the United States Space Force, has referred to the potential launch date of Russia’s nuclear anti-satellite weapon as ‘Day Zero.’ Because, from that day, no one can count on space the next day. From that day forward, the assumption on Earth must be that in order to preserve our economic, social, and military structures, we must have an alternative to space. Right now, there isn’t one.”
– Chairman Mike Turner
“PoNI [The Project on Nuclear Issues] and the Aerospace Security Project are really honored to have Representative Michael Turner with us today to talk about a variety of strategic challenges, including the Russian ASAT threat, along with the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. foreign policy. This conversation is coming at a really important moment for U.S. policymakers as they face crucial decisions about nuclear modernization and also about the future of arms control, and the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. foreign policy. But also, the American public is reengaging with nuclear weapons in a way that we really haven’t seen since the Cold War. So this is a very important moment for this conversation.” – Dr. Heather Williams
“Chairman Turner, those were incredibly sobering remarks for all of us. I do want to start out by saying that I was fortunate to work with you for many years on the House Armed Services Committee and when you were chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee. And what really struck me was how often you were right in the middle and leading on tackling really tough issues, complex issues, missile defense, New START, nuclear modernization. And I always appreciated your and the committee’s bipartisan approach. You took your briefings together, you took your trips together to get firsthand knowledge, and you were voracious in consuming information to make sure you really had all aspects of the issue understood. And I’ve seen you take that same approach with the House Intelligence Committee.” – Kari Bingen
Panel Speakers:
Congressman Mike Turner, Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
Dr. Heather Williams, Director, Project on Nuclear Issues, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Kari A. Bingen, Director, Aerospace Security Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies
