atg:-
I am simply afraid that for nuclear weapons, self regulation is the only way.
I can see your point, and doing otherwise would indeed be difficult, but not impossible. To a lesser extent much the same has been said of UK Military Aviation Regulation. For myself I would say that where there is a will there is a way. Mercifully I am not alone in my call for independent regulation. The Nuclear Information Service has called for it also at this site (simply copy, then "paste and go"):-
nuclearinfo.org/sites/default/files/NIS%20JSP%20538%20summary.pdf
The regulation of nuclear weapons safety should be the responsibility of an independent external regulator outside the Ministry of Defence.
Rather like our erstwhile Able Seaman, they may well have an agenda of their own but that does not make them devoid of informed opinion. They may indeed be set upon a goal of nuclear disarmament, but that could therefore be the key to compromise on the issue of nuclear safety. Therein lies a very British solution, we keep the deterrent but ensure that it is demonstrably as safe as is reasonably possible (it might be a way also of countering SNP propaganda).
http://www.nuclearinfo.org/