193 - Nuclear Deterrence Isn't Broken - It's Misunderstood and Misapplied

Nuclear deterrence is not failing in Ukraine and Iran - it is being misread. Retired Colonel Kirk Fansher breaks down why some of the loudest anti-nuclear arguments confuse deterrence with total war, and why that distinction changes everything. The conversation starts with a provocative opinion piece claiming the wars in Ukraine and Iran expose the "flaws" in nuclear deterrence. Curtis and Kirk push back hard, showing how Russia's arsenal has done exactly what deterrence is supposed to do: keep NATO out of the trenches and shape escalation without triggering a nuclear exchange. They also unpack why attacks on strategic bombers, missile launches aimed at distant bases, and repeated regional strikes do not automatically prove nuclear weapons are useless. www.thinkdeterrence.com