'This would open Pandora's box': Robert O'Brien sparks fury as he suggests resuming nuclear testing if Trump reelected
WASHINGTON, DC: A controversial suggestion from Robert O'Brien, a former national security advisor during the Trump administration, has ignited heated discussions about the future of US nuclear policy.
O'Brien, in a column for Foreign Policy magazine titled 'The Return of Peace Through Strength', advocated for the US to resume nuclear weapons testing if former President Donald Trump returns to the office, as per Newsmax.
Robert O'Brien advocates for US to resume nuclear weapons testing if Donald Trump returns
Brien asserted that it is essential for the US to "test new nuclear weapons for reliability and safety in the real world for the first time since 1992."
O'Brien's proposal comes at a time of heightened global tensions, with North Korea claiming to have tested a new tactical ballistic missile, Russian President Vladimir Putin hinting at resuming production of nuclear-capable missiles, and China significantly expanding its military capabilities.
O'Brien criticized the Biden administration's handling of these developments, emphasizing that the US has not tested any post-Cold War developed weapons. According to him, resuming tests would ensure the US maintains "technical and numerical superiority to the combined Chinese and Russian nuclear stockpiles."
The response to O'Brien's suggestion has been swift and varied. Trump’s co-campaign managers, Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, quickly dismissed O'Brien's comments, stating that he and others were "misguided, speaking prematurely, and may well be entirely wrong" about Trump's plans for a second term.
Historically, discussions about resuming nuclear tests have occurred during the Trump administration. Officials had proposed reducing the preparation time for a nuclear test from years to as little as six months.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has even recommended eliminating the preparation time and called for Washington "to move to immediate test readiness."
However, many Democrats and experts warn that resuming nuclear testing could trigger a new global arms race. Ernest J Moniz, who served as secretary of energy under President Obama, strongly opposed the idea, telling The New York Times, "New testing would make us less secure. You can't divorce it from the global repercussions."
Christian Whiton, a former State Department adviser, expressed uncertainty about the potential outcomes, noting, "It is unclear if existing and aspiring nuclear states would follow us. If they do, the downside is that they might improve their capabilities marginally."
Robert O'Brien's column advocating for nuclear weapon testing sparks fury online
The internet's reaction to O'Brien's column has been overwhelmingly negative, with social media platforms abuzz with criticism.
One Facebook user said, "Orange dude won't be returning to the Whitehouse and we don't need to test any nuclear weapons. We're not North Korea or Russia."
While another remarked, "Yet another reason to keep Trump out of the White House." A third user wrote, "Republican strategy to solve problems: just shoot it." Another user commented, "Absolute waste of tax dollars." One user mentioned, "We already know what we have and so does everyone else. This would just open Pandora's box."
Another user posted, "Why would you bring something up like this? During an election year." A seventh user stated, "Test them on Trump's neighborhood first." Lastly, a user said, "What is even the point of this bizarre suggestion? They work. No need to test them anymore."
This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
