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wellerstein's profile
Alex Wellerstein
Alex Wellerstein
Alex Wellerstein
Verified account
@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. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 29 Nov 2017
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      Each war the US had gotten into had generally led to the exchange of old problems for new ones. *Sometimes* you may have to go to war — WWII qualifies for that for me. Even then, the world that came after was not exactly an easy one.

      2 replies 23 retweets 210 likes
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    2. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 29 Nov 2017
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      (It is a broader point, but I think it is deeply disturbing that, after a half-century of mired conflicts, while we are still stuck in two of them, the broader US public, and many politicians of both parties, still seem to treat going to war rather lightly.)

      2 replies 47 retweets 278 likes
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    3. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 29 Nov 2017
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      3. It is difficult to do so, but try to put yourself in the DPRK's position. They are a small, poor, weak, isolated country. They have one half-friend (China) who benefits from their being a point of attention for the rest of the region. They are otherwise surrounded by enemies.

      3 replies 33 retweets 193 likes
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    4. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 29 Nov 2017
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      The DPRK view of the US is "that country that killed *millions* of our civilians during the Korean War, but who we ultimately fought to a standstill." The DPRK view of the US is, "a country that has nuked cities, overthrows governments, reneges on its deals."

      3 replies 59 retweets 290 likes
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    5. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 29 Nov 2017
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      From their perspective, we aren't the good guys, we're the massive, rich, powerful, evil empire. We're Darth Vader; they're the rebels. We're Goliath; they're David. In their eyes. Is this right? It doesn’t really matter, except where these views shape their behavior.

      6 replies 48 retweets 319 likes
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    6. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 29 Nov 2017
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      Think of every movie in which a scrappy group of fighters hold back against terrible odds while the barbarians are at their gates. Think of every movie where the last soldier in the bunker hits the switch and kills himself and much of the enemy in his dying gasp.

      1 reply 21 retweets 170 likes
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    7. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 29 Nov 2017
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      If you back them into a corner, they might do "crazy" things. If they feel all is lost, they might do "crazy" things. If they feel there is no hope, watch out. The same as we might, the same as most proud people might.

      1 reply 32 retweets 212 likes
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    8. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 29 Nov 2017
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      If the US tries to decapitate their leadership, or destroy their nukes, expect them to feel like they are in a "use it or lose it" scenario. Expect them to have prepared for this. Expect them to be willing to make the US or our allies eat a nuke in such a situation, if they can.

      1 reply 37 retweets 208 likes
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    9. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 29 Nov 2017
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      To continue the empathy: what does the DPRK want? Most of all, they seem to want to feel that the US is not going to try to "decapitate" them. That's why they are making nukes. That's why many governments have tended to want nukes — for security.

      2 replies 39 retweets 203 likes
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    10. Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 29 Nov 2017
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      The US has spent the last 75 years saying that nukes == security. Don't be surprised when a weak, vulnerable country buys into that logic. Don't think that you are going to convince them to give up their security with threats. It has never worked that way.

      5 replies 111 retweets 390 likes
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      Alex Wellerstein‏Verified account @wellerstein 29 Nov 2017
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      4. (Bonus point) Don't believe it when people say the North Koreans are stupid, are incapable of technical feats that are now decades old, etc. Their scientists and engineers seem competent enough to do this kind of work. They have been working at this for *decades*.

      4:46 AM - 29 Nov 2017
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      • FBoy Relentless⏳ Jacqueline Tullos niru | hiatus isayidkright Darcys’Wickham fiona ross Cameron Lamp Silvina 🇺🇾
      9 replies 25 retweets 255 likes
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        2. Laura‏ @laurastuart 29 Nov 2017
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          Replying to @elyon113 @wellerstein

          If that true, how could @realDonaldTrump not know that him boyfriend PUTIN is cheating on him with North Korea

          1 reply 0 retweets 5 likes
        3. CBall  👀 ⚽‏ @CalSkipBall 29 Nov 2017
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          Replying to @laurastuart @elyon113 and

          Did you ever think that Putin is playing everyone against each other. What is the best way for you to defeat an enemy that is just as powerful as you? You cause internal strife and you get their other enemies to attack them, all while keeping your hands "clean". Classic tactics.

          2 replies 3 retweets 23 likes
        4. Adrian Midgley #FBPE‏ @amidgley 29 Nov 2017
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          Replying to @CalSkipBall @laurastuart and

          Did you ever think he was not? Rather well.

          1 reply 0 retweets 2 likes
        5. CBall  👀 ⚽‏ @CalSkipBall 29 Nov 2017
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          Replying to @amidgley @laurastuart and

          Schrödinger's cat until confirmed.

          0 replies 0 retweets 3 likes
        6. End of conversation
        1. New conversation
        2. Mylo Dressler‏ @MyloDressler 4 Dec 2017
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          Replying to @wellerstein

          @threadreaderapp unroll

          1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes
        3. Thread Reader App‏ @threadreaderapp 4 Dec 2017
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          Replying to @MyloDressler

          Greetings @MyloDressler It's an unroll > https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/935852551018287104 … only for you. You can like this tweet.

          0 replies 0 retweets 3 likes
        4. End of conversation
        1. SFDukie‏ @SFDukie 30 Nov 2017
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          Replying to @wellerstein

          A thoughtful person would be impressed that a country w/so few resources has built ICBMs and amassed enough fissile material to top them w/warheads

          0 replies 0 retweets 2 likes
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        1. adam levine‏ @Adam_Levine10 4 Dec 2017
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          Replying to @wellerstein

          @JakeTuckerman

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        1. María Hevia‏ @MaruxaHevia 29 Nov 2017
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          Replying to @wellerstein

          Discrepo, no es racional el programa nuclear de CN. Teniendo dos grandes potencias nucleares como Rusia y China que apoyan el territorio/régimen, lo racional es el uso de la diplomacia/Política. ¿Se firmó definitivamente la paz entre las dos Coreas? pues ese es el problema

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        1. Oxnard‏ @Oxnard_nz 29 Nov 2017
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          Replying to @wellerstein

          Alex... I cannot express how strongly I agree with this thread. After reading and following as much DPRK as I can to form my own opinion, this is essentially the conclusion I reached. I fear others have irrational conclusions.

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        1. Djiaux‏ @Djiaux 5 Dec 2017
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          Replying to @wellerstein

          Hmm that last point... They seem quite backwards, nukes were crested in the 50s, they created them in the 90s? Now they have ICBM motors 1/

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        1. Djiaux‏ @Djiaux 5 Dec 2017
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          Replying to @wellerstein

          Cause some Ucranian sold them one or two but appart of that their technology is awful, and it is normal, they are small and isolated 2/

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