Editing Hyman G. Rickover (section)

=== Views on nuclear power ===
Given Rickover's single-minded focus on naval nuclear propulsion, design, and operations, it came as a surprise to many<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jec.senate.gov/reports/97th%20Congress/Economics%20of%20Defense%20Policy%20-%20Adm.%20H.%20G.%20Rickover%20Part%20I%20(1110).pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108124603/https://www.jec.senate.gov/reports/97th%20Congress/Economics%20of%20Defense%20Policy%20-%20Adm.%20H.%20G.%20Rickover%20Part%20I%20(1110).pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2024-11-08|title=Hearing Before the Joint Economic Committee |work=Hearing Before the Joint Economic Committee|access-date=2025-05-01}}</ref> in 1982, near the end of his career, when he testified before the U.S. Congress that, were it up to him what to do with nuclear powered ships, he "would sink them all." At a congressional hearing Rickover testified that:

{{blockquote| Every time you produce radiation, you produce something that has a certain half-life, in some cases for billions of years. [...] I do not believe that nuclear power is worth the present benefits since it creates radiation. You might ask why do I design nuclear powered ships. That is because it is a necessary evil. I would sink them all. I am not proud of the part I played in it. I did it because it was necessary for the safety of this country. That's why I am such a great exponent of stopping this whole nonsense of war. Unfortunately, attempts to limit war have always failed. One lesson of history is when a war erupts every nation will ultimately use whatever weapon is available. ... It is important that we control these forces and try to eliminate them. |[https://www.jec.senate.gov/reports/97th%20Congress/Economics%20of%20Defense%20Policy%20-%20Adm.%20H.%20G.%20Rickover%20Part%20I%20(1110).pdf Economics of Defense Policy: Hearing before the Joint Economic Committee], Congress of the United States, 97th Cong., 2nd sess., Pt. 1 (1982)}}

A few months later, following his retirement, Rickover spoke more specifically regarding the questions "Could you comment on your own responsibility in helping to create a nuclear navy? Do you have any regrets?":

<blockquote>I do not have regrets. I believe I helped preserve the peace for this country. Why should I regret that? What I accomplished was approved by Congress—which represents our people. All of you live in safety from domestic enemies because of security from the police. Likewise, you live in safety from foreign enemies because our military keeps them from attacking us. Nuclear technology was already under development in other countries. My assigned responsibility was to develop our nuclear navy. I managed to accomplish this.<ref>{{cite book |last= Rickover |first= Hyman George |title= Thoughts on Man's Purpose in Life |url= https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/publications/archive/morgenthau/763/_res/id=Attachments/index=0/763_2ndMML-H.G.Rickover.pdf |access-date= 2009-03-17 |series= Second Annual Morgenthau Memorial Lecture |date= 1982-05-12 |publisher= Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs |archive-date= July 10, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180710040709/https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/publications/archive/morgenthau/763/_res/id=Attachments/index=0/763_2ndMML-H.G.Rickover.pdf |url-status= dead }}</ref></blockquote>