Glenn Diesen - Greater Eurasia Podcast Scott Ritter: Threat of Nuclear War as the Last Arms Control Treaty Collapsed
Feb 5, 2026
Scott Ritter, former US Marine intelligence officer and UN weapons inspector, offers sharp analysis on the collapse of long-standing nuclear arms control. He traces the treaty history, critiques negotiation flaws, and outlines how inspection breakdowns, U.S. targeting shifts, and China’s stance reshape global nuclear dynamics. The conversation warns of renewed arms racing and strains on non-proliferation.
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Expiration Raises Nuclear Risk
- Letting New START expire dramatically raises the risk of nuclear war and restarts an arms race.
- Six decades of arms-control stability collapsed, undoing mutually assured destruction safeguards.
ABM Treaty Was The Foundation
- The ABM Treaty was the linchpin that made strategic arms reductions feasible.
- Removing ABM undermined mutual vulnerability and destabilized subsequent arms-control efforts.
First INF On‑Site Inspector
- Scott Ritter recounts being the first onsite INF weapons inspector in the Soviet Union.
- He emphasizes on-site inspection as the unbeatable verification tool arms control relies on.
