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wellerstein's profile
Alex Wellerstein
Alex Wellerstein
Alex Wellerstein
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@wellerstein

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Alex WellersteinVerified account

@wellerstein

Historian of science, secrecy, and nuclear weapons. Professor of STS at @FollowStevens. UC Berkeley alum with a Harvard PhD. NUKEMAP creator. Coder and web dev.

Hoboken, NJ / NYC
blog.nuclearsecrecy.com
Joined September 2011

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    1. Vipin Narang‏ @NarangVipin 6 Oct 2018
      • Report Tweet

      Vipin Narang Retweeted Matthew Kroenig

      The fact that Johnson overruled Westmoreland actually shows the power of the so-called taboo in this case.https://twitter.com/kroenig/status/1048599315193778176 …

      Vipin Narang added,

      Matthew Kroenig @kroenig
      New evidence against the idea of a "nuclear taboo." Newly declassified documents show that Gen Westmoreland considered using nuclear weapons in Vietnam: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/06/world/asia/vietnam-war-nuclear-weapons.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage …
      4 replies 8 retweets 53 likes
    2. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 6 Oct 2018
      • Report Tweet
      Replying to @NarangVipin

      I mean, the argument I think that would be made is, did LBJ overrule because he felt some strong, not-purely-strategic reason that nukes shouldn't be used? Or was it pure strategy? The non-tabooers usually try to make latter argument.

      2 replies 0 retweets 3 likes
    3. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 6 Oct 2018
      • Report Tweet
      Replying to @wellerstein @NarangVipin

      I think one can detect non-strategic, "irrational" (we might say), "emotional," etc., arguments in LBJ, but he tended to frame his policies in strategic logic (e.g., don't want a wider war). So I can certainly see why one might read him one way or the other on this.

      2 replies 0 retweets 0 likes
    4. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 6 Oct 2018
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      Replying to @wellerstein @NarangVipin

      I think the stronger arguments for a taboo in LBJ admin come from some other figures (McNamara's emotional/ideological vehemence against use seems to vastly outstrip any kind of pure rationality).

      1 reply 0 retweets 3 likes
      Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 6 Oct 2018
      • Report Tweet
      Replying to @wellerstein @NarangVipin

      And I think (as I mentioned elsewhere) ironically the strongest arguments for a taboo existing come from those who wish it didn't exist — they feel the need to emphasize that this OUGHT to be thinkable (because it isn't), that it OUGHT to be rational (because it isn't).

      9:35 AM - 6 Oct 2018
      • 2 Likes
      • Segmentata Vipin Narang
      0 replies 0 retweets 2 likes

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