Over the past decade, much attention has focused on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and fighting Al Qaeda and now the Islamic State group. But in the next three decades, the Pentagon plans to spend an estimated $1 trillion to buy a new generation of nuclear weapons to replace the current arsenal. The Obama administration, along with military commanders and some members of Congress, say nuclear weapons make a difference every day in deterring attacks against the United States. They argue that the current stockpile must be replaced because it’s old and could break down. Their highest priority is building 12 new submarines. But critics say the price tag is unaffordable and that the Pentagon is essentially rebuilding a Cold War-era arsenal. John Mearsheimer, R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science, will moderate. Dan Sagalyn is the PBSNewsHour’s deputy senior producer for foreign affairs and defense. He’s been at the PBS NewsHour since 1996. Jamie McIntyre is Al Jazeera America‘s National Security Correspondent. He’s on special assignment for the PBS NewsHour. McIntyre was an NPR All Things Considered Newscaster from 2011 to 2014. He was CNN’s senior Pentagon correspondent from 1992 to 2008. Recorded on May 10, 2016

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