Vipin and I welcome Austin Long, a former deputy director for strategic stability on the U.S. Joint Staff (J5) to the pod, and as a new Senior Fellow with MIT’s Center for Nuclear Security Policy. We had a wide-ranging discussion on

* the recent UK-France joint statement on nuclear deterrence and the possible areas for the two allies to cooperate and implement the “Northwood Declaration” moving forward,

* reactions to our Foreign Affairs article “How to Survive the New Nuclear Age”—including critiques of the U.S. retaining a damage limitation objective in its nuclear strategy,

* the kinds of modest changes to future U.S. nuclear posture that may be prudent given China’s breakout and also in support of a new arms control deal with Russia,

* The Washington Naval Conference (???) and pursuing strategic arms control in a period of global rearmament,

* potential shifts to U.S. extended deterrence and allied assurance approaches,

* how Austin hopes to spend his time as a new former government official (explaining damage limitation), and

* . nuclear modernization “stretch goals.”

A few items we referenced during the show:

“Northwood Declaration.” July 10, 2025 Press release on UK-France joint nuclear statement.

“How to Survive the New Nuclear Age.” Foreign Affairs.

“Optimal Deterrence” by James Acton. CFR.

“Counterforce in Contemporary U.S. Nuclear Strategy.” CGSR Occasional Paper. Brad Roberts, et al.

“A New Nuclear Age: The Sum of All Fears.” Net Assessment podcast at Stimson.org.

Intro/outro music licensed by Soundstripe: “The Iron Curtain” by Wicked Cinema.

Recording and edits through Riverside.fm.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit strategicsimplicity.substack.com