July 22, 2020
The international peace and security field lost one of its most distinguished members this week with the passing of Bruce Blair. Few individuals outside of the policy-making community had as great an impact on US and international security thinking and behavior as Bruce, who devoted his professional career to analyzing the dynamics of inadvertent nuclear war and what needed to be done practically to mitigate the dangers. His views were informed by his personal experiences as a young Minuteman missile launch officer, who was all too familiar with the shortcomings of the US command-and-control system.
Bruce Blair (src: Global Zero)
Bruce was a master fundraiser, publicist, activist, and scholar. I last saw him in Geneva this past December, and he was as passionate about his work then as when I first met hem over thirty years ago. He took special pleasure in the accomplishments of his younger staff, who can be proud of the example he set for them. The world is a safer place thanks to his insights and commitment.
Bill Potter
Director, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies and Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar Professor of Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
