War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Interview with Russell Dougherty, 1987
Description:
Russell Dougherty rose through the U.S. Air Force to become chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), and later commander of the Strategic Air Command (SAC). In this interview, he briefly describes SAC's responsibilities and how its requirements evolved over time. He discusses a range of strategic concepts and issues, such as the nature of deterrence, launch-on-attack, and options for targeting cities with nuclear weapons. Much of the interview is taken up with discussion of the Minuteman and MX missiles. He defends the MX as a critical component of the US strategic force and makes various arguments against criticisms of the system based on its vulnerabilities. On a similar theme, he describes his views on different basing options, including his elation when Ronald Reagan canceled the MPS idea. He bristles at the opposition of some in Congress to improving missile accuracy (on the grounds that it provides the capacity for a first strike) because of the implication that he, as a military leader, is somehow like "a wild man on a leash" requiring external restraint. He also offers insights into US approaches to targeting Soviet sites, and acknowledges that nuclear scenarios generally make him "nervous as hell." He supports arms control as an important way to maintain U.S. security.
