Leon Sloss Obituary

2006·2.4 MB·English

by  Daniel Ellsberg

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The Washington Post
Leon Sloss, 80; Expert on U.S, Nuclear Policy

iy Joe Holey
‘Washingion Post Stat Writer
iy, November 1, 2006, BOT

Leon Sloss, 80, national security expert whose specialty was nus
strategy, died Nov, 1 of throat cancer at Sibley Memorial Flospital: Fle was}
a Chevy Chase resident.

During the Carter administration, Mr. Sloss Jed study of U.S. nuclear
policy that culminated in Presidential Diective 59, whieh inaugurated a
_major shift in U.S. targeting policy for nuclear weapons. Key elemenis of
the study, conducted from 1978 ta 1979, included expanding the number
of cities, military bases and other places inthe Soviet Union to he targeted
and developing a secure reserve farce.

"Given the fact that both the United States and the Soviet Union bal many
thousands of nuclexr weapons atthe time, we believed that it was only
‘prudent ta plan for the possibility thar ao: all of hese weapons would be
used in a single strike, and thus 8 war might go on For some time under the
threat of additional nuclear strikes.” Mr. Sloss wrote in @ 1997 loter to
The Washington Post, "While it was difficult wo foresee anyone winning
such a conflict, it seemed far preferable to seta national goal of

prevailing’ rather thin, say, losing."

Fred IkI?,a former director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmanient
Agony and now a scholar at the Center for Strategic ane! Intematiatal
Studies, worked elosely with Mr, Sloss. "He always analyzed things
thoughtfully and carefully." kl? recalled. “He often came up with a
differen spin on things."

Me, Sloss was born in San Francisco and served in the Philippines ancl
Japan daring World War Hl, He was award the Purple Hea

He received a bact

or's degree from Stanford University in 1949 and a mastt's degree in public
affairs from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson Schoal of Public Affairsin 1951

He joined the Bureau of the Budget shortly after receiving his degéee at Princeton and moved tothe
State Department in 1966. From 1973 10 1975, he was deputy direetor of the Bureau of Politcal-
Miltary Affairs in the State Department

Jn 1975, a8 a fallow of the Center for Steatogic and Invernavionsl Studies in Washington and the
International Institute for Strategie Studies in London, he published papers on NATO mobilization

‘Fake G01 eM.
‘Leon Sess. 80; Lape um US. Nusletr Policy washingsonpost com ipo nnashinglenpost comp dymiontenvutile2006

strategy and led an international study group on theater nuclear forces. He was assistant director ofthe
US. Arms Contra and Disarmament Agency from 1976 «9 1978 and U.S. ambassador tothe Seabed
Treaty Negotiations in 1977 and 1978.

‘Mr Slo retited from the Federal government in 1979 10 manage the Washington office of SRT
International, a consulting and research firm In 1981, he founded and becarie president of Leon Sloss
Associates, a consulting firm specializing in national security affairs, He led the firm until his death

He remained engaged with the national security issues that had been the focus of his attention for
‘mote than half» eentury. Responding to a 2005 Council on Forsign Relations article an the United
States’ auclear posture, he wrote: "In today's world, the U.S. nuclear postuce is essentially a hedge
Against an uncertain Future, In evaluating the overall posture, itis important iat the right balancs be
slruck between readiness and cestraint, so thatthe hedging does not unduly stimulate the emergence of
the circumstances hedged! against.

Mr. Sloss was a board member of Arena Stage, volunteer at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum
fof American History and a supporter of Stanford University

Survivors inclu his wife of 52 years, Virginia Green Sloss of Chevy Chise: fr children, Deborah
Sloss of Los Altos, Cali, David Slos of St. Lois, Michiel Sloss of Washington and Laua Sloss of
Bethesda sister, Naney Sloss of Washington; a brother, str Sossof Sam Praneiseo; an I
grandchildren

(©) 2007 The Washington Post Company

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