That's a significant reserve capability.

All I know is that we had this scenario (first bit, anyway) for Cuba and a Russian tanker docked with Trump's blessing in March. Sooooo....

I guarantee you Trump hasn't thought about this

The Dead Hand by David E. Hoffman

I am currently re-reading this and there are many parallels.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, wearing a dark suit and seen from the neck up, speaks into multiple microphones in front of a North Korean flag.

North Korea tested a tactical ballistic missile tipped with a cluster bomb warhead this week, claiming it can reduce target areas to "ashes," state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday.

Read more from Stars and Stripes' Julie Masson and Yoojin Lee here: www.stripes.com/theaters/asi...

What a nuclear crisis looks like in NUKEMAP logs... these are hourly unique visitors over the last 24 hours, via Cloudflare.

I think the nonpro regime ends for US adversaries like Iran and its allies like Saudi and ROK. A nuclear Iran allows Russia and China to further balance the US. Is Russia likely to provide technical information? Iran can gain more prestige and may also be driven by persistent Israeli threats.

I agree. I just posted a similar thought that If I were Iranian leadership, game is on.

Sooo, if I, as a nation, just repelled a superpower and retain some highly enriched uranium, I'm absolutely rushing to build a few nuclear weapons....right?

So he admits they control the SoH:

Iran’s 10-Point Proposal Demands an End to Attacks and Sanctions

Iran's 10-point plan — which Trump says is "a workable basis on which to negotiate," which Iranian media says Trump agreed to it — includes:

-An end to Israeli operations in Lebanon
-Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, including the ~$2m/ship fee.
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/w...

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council claims Tehran achieved a “historic victory” over the U.S. and allies, says Washington agreed in principle to a 10-point plan including sanctions relief, non-aggression, and regional military withdrawal.-Fars News Agency

Working on long-shot RFPs today feels insane

Iran closes all diplomatic and indirect channels of communication with the U.S., suspending the exchange of messages, following Trump’s threat to kill Iran's "whole civilization." -Reuters

I wish I could just go back to bed.

For comparison down the road, the share of total national defense spending projected to be spent on nuclear weapons from FY25-34 was 9.7% per CBO and OMB estimates.

Hegseth Fires Army Chief Amid Battle With Its Leaders

Firing senior officers for cause is one thing. Firing them repeatedly on this scale and with no explanation is unprecedented in our nation's history.
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/02/u...

Hegseth forces out Army’s top general, two other senior officers Gen. Randy George’s ouster is the latest clash between the Pentagon chief and the service’s senior leadership, and comes during the war in Iran.

NEW: It's not just Gen. Randy George on the way out.

Defense officials tell me and Tara Copp that Hegseth also is removing:

Gen. David Hodne, commander of Transformation and Training Command

Maj. Gen. William Green Jr., head of the Army's chaplain corps

www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

It’s worth noting that Iran is being more restrained than the US and Israel when it comes to targeting so far.

The US and Israel are leading the climb up the escalation ladder by targeting educational institutions, medical facilities, residential complexes, and civilian infrastructure.

One plus of the current ground stop at DCA, I got to watch the #Artemis launch.

We can't provide for the basic needs of our people, much less the public good- war is more important!

Remember that if Trump hadn’t pulled out of the JCPOA, Iran’s HEU would not exist. And the Iranian offer Trump rejected included blending this material down. The risks to US military personnel if Trump orders this mission are entirely his fault.

CENTCOM:

Will Congress do anything, like enforce their NDAA language banning a president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO? I'm doubtful.

this is how cascades happen.

It took a while, a lot of abuse, and then an incredibly poorly planned war that Trump now wants to dump in their laps.

It is going to get much harder for the US to operate in the Mideast without European bases and airspace. 1/2

WTAF

Air Force breaks ground on prototype silo for Sentinel ICBM in Utah The LGM-35A Sentinel will replace the LGM-30G Minuteman III. The $141 billion program is expected to stretch into the second half of the 21st century.

The Air Force has broken ground in Utah on the prototype for 450 launch silos to be built for its next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile.

Navy ships and submarines have fired more than 850 Tomahawk missiles in the first four weeks of Operation Epic Fury, the most in any campaign by the United States.

More from the CSIS Defense and Security Program: https://bit.ly/412hjWc

I used to use something called Pollme. It was both phone and computer based and allowed for multiple choice and open ended answers.