Rudy Giuliani on nuclear weapons

The next U.S. president must also press ahead with building a national missile defense system. America can no longer rely on Cold War doctrines such as “mutual assured destruction” in the face of threats from hostile, unstable regimes. Nor can it ignore the possibility of nuclear blackmail. Rogue regimes that know they can threaten America, our allies, and our interests with ballistic missiles will behave more aggressively, including by increasing their support for terrorists. On the other hand, the knowledge that America and our allies could intercept and destroy incoming missiles would not only make blackmail less likely but also decrease the appeal of ballistic missile programs and so help to slow their development and proliferation. It is well within our capability to field a layered missile defense capable of shielding us from the arsenals of the world’s most dangerous states.” (Foreign Affairs, September/October 2007)