ICYMI: Kelly Pens Washington Post Op-Ed Warning New START Lapse Leaves America Less Safe

"The U.S. needs both strategic deterrence and a renewed diplomatic effort - alongside our allies and partners - to avoid another arms race. Every day that passes without that, makes Americans less safe."

Over the weekend, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly published an op-ed warning that the expiration of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between the United States and Russia eliminated the last legally binding limits on the world's two largest nuclear arsenals, increasing the risk of miscalculation and a new arms race at a time when China is expanding its nuclear forces and North Korea is advancing its ballistic missile capabilities.

The op-ed comes two weeks after Kelly raised the alarm in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing as New START was set to expire, pressing witnesses on how the U.S. can maintain strategic stability and warning that a rush toward a costly "Golden Dome" missile defense could undermine deterrence and spur an unconstrained nuclear buildup by Russia and China.

Click here to read the full op-ed. See key excerpts below:

On the dangerous lapse of New START:

"On Feb. 5, the treaty known as New START lapsed, eliminating the last legally binding limits on the world's two largest nuclear arsenals - the United States and Russia. This comes as China continues a massive buildup of their arsenal, and North Korea pursues more effective ballistic missiles to carry their nuclear warheads farther. The house of dynamite is getting larger and less stable, and the last guardrails are now gone. If we want our children and grandchildren to inherit a planet with less risk of nuclear conflict than we had, then that must change."

On why long-term stability requires both deterrence and arms control:

"This entire debate is often framed as a choice between deterrence and arms control, but what we've seen in the real world suggests stability and preventing disaster depends on both. A strong, flexible and credible nuclear deterrent combined with thoughtful arms control are the two pillars that have kept our house of dynamite from detonating."

On the importance of predictability to keep the world safe:

"At its core, the treaty offered something rare between two large adversaries: predictability. This predictability did not eliminate risk, but it managed it. When both sides know the size and posture of their adversary's nuclear weapons, it reduces incentives for rapid escalation during crises that could result in nuclear conflict."

On what must happen next:

"The U.S. needs both strategic deterrence and a renewed diplomatic effort - alongside our allies and partners - to avoid another arms race. Every day that passes without that makes Americans less safe."