Episode Details

Newt talks with Pulitzer Prize finalist Annie Jacobsen, about her new book "Nuclear War: A Scenario". The book explores the potential aftermath of a nuclear missile launch, based on interviews with military and civilian experts. Jacobsen discusses the concept of "Mad King Logic", where one irrational leader with a nuclear arsenal could trigger a global catastrophe. She also explains the devastating environmental and human impacts of a nuclear war, including nuclear winter and the death of billions. Jacobsen suggests that the way forward is to reduce the number of nuclear weapons and make their use taboo, following the example set by President Reagan. They also discuss how this could be implemented in a world with unpredictable leaders like Kim Jong Un and Ayatollah Khomeini.

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