Russia says it believes the system could blunt its own nuclear deterrent.

Even assuming the logic of nuclear deterrence, do they really need arsenals of this magnitude?

The Cold War paradigm and obsolete arguments about the utility of nuclear deterrence continue to poison the debate.

The price of "great-powerdom," for Russia, is dependence on nuclear weapons, acceptance of the inherent insecurity they bring, and reliance upon nuclear deterrence.

Overall, then, it appears that the U.S. government's desire for nuclear weapons far outruns its need for them - even by the logic of nuclear deterrence.