Fred C. Iklé was the undersecretary of defense for policy during the Reagan administration: “The Obama administration should not repeat the mistakes of the last administration on Iran—the Bush administration assumed that Iran had ballistic missiles but ignored Iran’s cruise missiles, against which we would need a different kind of defense.
“Also, we should not forget the role of deterrence. The Iranian government should not be allowed to assume that after an Iranian missile attack on Eastern Europe we would simply send a diplomatic note to Tehran saying ‘that was nasty—don’t do it again.’”
Richard Perle, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, was assistant secretary of defense responsible for arms control during the Reagan administration: “No one believes the threat we face today comes from Russia’s arsenal. It simply does not matter how many weapons Russia has.
“What does matter, as we face increasing danger from nuclear powers like North Korea now, and Iran all too soon, is whether we have the right forces for our defense. This includes defensive as well as offensive weapons.
“The president’s exaggerated claims for the new treaty may be just the opening that thoughtful senators like John Kyl need to overcome the administration’s lackadaisical attitude toward achieving a force that is secure, safe and reliable. Mr. Kyl is demanding an adequately funded program to implement the Perry-Schlesinger nuclear recommendations—especially the development of a warhead to replace our most antiquated weapons, and modernization of our weapons laboratories—as a condition for ratifying the treaty. And he has enough senators supporting him to make it happen.
“Not a bad trade: A treaty of little consequence for a safe, secure and reliable deterrent that may actually make us safer.