International | Three scorpions America risks a nuclear-arms race with China Blame an expired treaty with Russia Share Photograph: Reuters Feb 3rd 2026 | WASHINGTON, DC | 7 min read R OBERT OPPENHEIMER , the father of America’s nuclear bomb, described his country’s atomic rivalry with the Soviet Union as “two scorpions in a bottle”. The risks of this stand-off have been contained over the years by various arms-control agreements, most recently New START. But that treaty expired this week, with no replacement. To make matters more dangerous, these days there is a third scorpion in the bottle: China. Its nuclear build-up, the world’s fastest since the height of the cold war, is likely to prompt America to expand its arsenal, too. A new arms race is in the offing. This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “Three scorpions” From the February 7th 2026 edition Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents ⇒ Explore the edition Share Reuse this content More from International The Telegram A stay-calm plan to save the world Alas, almost no foreign leader is as reasonable as Finland’s president, Alexander Stubb The War Room newsletter: What is Donald Trump’s aim for Iran? Shashank Joshi, our defence editor, analyses the president’s options The Telegram Donald Trump’s envoys failed to reassure Europe A gathering of world leaders in Munich shows how trust has collapsed The Robin Hood state is coming for the rich Tax systems are more progressive than you think Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s network What 1. 4m emails reveal about America’s most notorious sex offender The Telegram Are liberal values a luxury the West cannot afford? Yes, China has impressive high-speed trains. That is no reason for the West to adopt iron-fisted rule

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