Is nuclear disarmament set to self-destruct?

The podcast explores whether nuclear disarmament is set to self-destruct, given the expiration of the New START treaty and increasing global tensions. It highlights the history of nuclear arms control, including the SALT and INF treaties, and the role of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in reducing nuclear arsenals from 70,000 to approximately 13,000. Alexandra Bell, president of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, discusses the NPT's grand bargain and its effectiveness, while Mike Albertson, a member of the New START negotiating team, details the treaty's verification regime and subsequent violations. Nathalie Tocci, professor at Johns Hopkins University, warns of a potential "free for all" scenario with the end of New START and the fracturing of the non-proliferation pact, as countries like North Korea become untouchable and others reconsider their nuclear policies.