William C. Martel

William C. Martel is an associate professor of international relations and Russian studies at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. In the following viewpoint, he argues that the notion that Russian “loose nukes” are leaking to terrorists or rogue states is a myth with little basis in reality. No evidence has surfaced proving that such nuclear proliferation has actually occurred, he contends. Martel asserts that Russians might have a vested interest in promulgating the “loose nukes” myth in order to prod the United States to spend millions of dollars assisting Russia’s nuclear complex—money that might be better spent on

U.S. nuclear weapons inspection capabilities. As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What...