The fact that we can still launch thousands of nuclear warheads to destroy everything else in sight is not enough. Because the United States does not currently assemble new nuclear weapons from scratch, the B61 Mod 11 is a modification of a B61 bomb already in the arsenal. Surprisingly, many in the arms control community agree. In effect they are saying keep quiet about a new nuclear weapon so as to not get too many people upset. New or not new, the reality is that the B61 Mod 11 represents a mindset that does U.S. national security more harm than good.
Russian naysayers can conclude rightly that their worst case view is indeed valid.
President Clinton authorized the B61 Mod 11 when he signed the 1994 Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Memorandum. The connection with larger U.S. interests was never made. The otherwise minor program did not seem to signal either aggressive intentions towards Russia nor a potential for public outcry. Now, as agreed reductions flounder and disarmament is utterly stagnant, nuclear advocates have their first post-Cold War weapon, with the aid of arms controllers who cannot see the forest for the trees. It is the very routine nature of it all that is most frightening.