Do nuclear numbers matter?

(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kyla Gifford)

Russia and China and the Politics of Nuclear Coercion

Last year, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) concluded that both Russia and China are increasingly dependent on nuclear weapons to achieve their national interests. Combined, they are projected to exceed the U.S. strategic nuclear force in numbers, creating a multiple challenger problem for the U.S. and raising the possibility of a dangerous collaboration between adversaries.

In short...