On the verge of an exciting time

Just what we need when we are trying to convince Iran, North Korea and others not to develop nuclear weapons. We're working on developing a new H-bomb. That's just wonderful.

For the first time in more than 20 years, U.S. nuclear-weapons scientists are designing a new

H-bomb, the first of probably several new nuclear explosives on the drawing boards.

If they succeed, in perhaps 20 or 25 more years, the United States would have an entirely new nuclear arsenal, and a highly automated fac- tory capable of turning out more warheads as needed, as well as new kinds of warheads.

"We are on the verge of an exciting time," the nation's top nuclear weapons executive, Linton Brooks, said last week at Lawrence Livermore weapons design laboratory.

Yes, a really exciting time.