(Washington, D.C., Thursday, July 7, 2022) – The United States is now facing a significant security problem with the emergence of a new norm in nuclear doctrine – blackmail. This new norm is in stark contrast to the notion of Mutually Assured Destruction – where major powers viewed an atomic attack as a last resort. Now, the United States must consider its options to counter this type of collective nuclear blackmail.
Experts now see a nuclear blackmail “trinity” in Russia, China, and North Korea putting the U.S. in an untenable situation which could create significant security risks. Continued investment in missile defense is more important now than it ever has been as the U.S. contends with this growing threat.
ABOUT THE SPOKESPEOPLE
Maj. Gen. Howard “Dallas” Thompson (U.S. Air Force – retired) is an independent consultant, commentator, and author on a wide variety of national defense issues. His final assignment on active duty was as chief of staff of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command. In that role, Gen. Thompson directed all operational and staff functions throughout Aerospace Warning and Control, Homeland Defense, and Defense Support to Civil Authorities. Gen. Thompson retired from active service in 2012 after 36 years in the U.S. Air Force, where as a command pilot, he logged more than 3,900 flying hours in fighter and trainer aircraft. Since retiring, Gen. Thompson’s national security commentary, focusing particularly on missile defense, has been published by the American Foreign Policy Council, Arab Times, Defense News, Defense One, The Hill, Real Clear Defense, and Roll Call.
Lt. Gen. Dan “Fig” Leaf (U.S. Air Force – retired) is the Managing Director of Phase Minus 1, LLC and works as an independent consultant on security matters that include North Korea, conflict resolution, strategic leadership, and Women, Peace & Security. A decorated fighter pilot with combat experience in the F-15 and F-16, Gen. Leaf’s Indo-Asia-Pacific experience includes his time as Deputy Commander of U. S. Pacific Command (PACOM), a tour of duty at Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, and assignments in both Korea and Japan. After military retirement, he was a Vice President in Northrop Grumman Information Systems, then served as the Director of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) from January 2012 through October 2016. He is a Vice President on the Board of Directors of the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor and is Chairman of the Armed Services YMCA – Hawaii Board of Management. A prolific author, his essay An urgently practical approach to the Korean Peninsula won the Oslo Forum’s first-ever Peacewriter Prize in 2017.