September 27, 2007 (LPAC)--This morning, during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) raised the question of whether or not Iran could be deterred from using nuclear weapons (assuming it ever has any), with Gen. Kevin Chilton, the Bush Administration's nominee to become chief of the U.S. Strategic Command. Warner talked about the hot line and other arrangements that used to exist, during the Cold War, between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, that were designed to prevent accidents from turning into nuclear wars. He then quoted former U.S. Central Command chief Gen. John Abizaid, who said, last week, that we could live with a nuclear Iran. He then expressed concern that he did not see any capability in Iran of a robust command-and-control structure, or a review process of the consequences of the use of a nuclear weapon, questioning whether a similar deterrence structure that worked with the Soviet Union could work with Iran.

Chilton replied that, just because we don't completely understand those issues with Iran, does not mean that Iran cannot be deterred. "It is important," he said, "that they understand we are capable and ready" to respond to any attacks. Warner closed the exchange by saying that we have to revisit how deterrence worked in the past and re-examine the doctrine of deterrence with respect to "emerging nations" that may be joining the nuclear club in the future.

In written replies to advance questions, Chilton also expressed support for U.S.-Russia cooperation on missile defense. "I think there are both technical and diplomatic opportunities to work with Russia for the benefit of mutual national security concerns over the ballistic missile threat," he wrote. "The recent Russia proposal to use one of their radar systems is worth exploring and encouraging."