Nuclear Arms Cuts Under Consideration By Obama Administration
By ASSOCIATED PRESS | 2/14/12 3:19 PM EST
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is weighing options for sharp new cuts to the U.S. nuclear force, including a reduction of up to 80 percent in the number of deployed weapons, The Associated Press has learned.
Even the most modest option now under consideration would be an historic and politically bold disarmament step in a presidential election year, although the plan is in line with President Barack Obama's 2009 pledge to pursue the elimination of nuclear weapons.
No final decision has been made, but the administration is considering at least three options for lower total numbers of deployed strategic nuclear weapons cutting to: 1,000 to 1,100; 700 to 800, and 300 to 400, according to a former government official and a congressional staffer. Both spoke on condition of anonymity in order to reveal internal administration deliberations.
The potential cuts would be from a current treaty limit of 1,550 deployed strategic warheads.
MORE...
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72867.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RC
(25,592 posts)What a waste of resources nuclear bombs and missiles are.
FailureToCommunicate
(14,012 posts)not soon forget. (It talks about all the nuke missile and bomb accidents there have been, among other things)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countdown_to_Zero
Of course, Obama has been working on 'loose nukes' since he was a senator:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2008/jul/15/barack-obama/obama-lugar-measure-included-weapons-of-mass-destr/
Volaris
(10,269 posts)What would be MORE awesome is if he just ORDERED the elimination of ALL U.S. deployed nuclear arms, and then asked the rest of the planet to follow his example.
If we do it, England and France would jump on board I think....Russia might take some work, but I think it could be done...
If you can convince India, you can PROBABLY convince Pakistan...
That mostly leaves N. Korea and Israel... and If you move forward with a plan to allow Iran to develop the technology (so they can be like the rest of the Major Players), then you can tell them "O.K., now you can sit at the Big Kids Table, but that means acting like the REST of the Big Kids and not pointing these damned things at Israel..."
Now its just N.Korea, and THAT seems like a problem the rest of the worlds Nation-States should be able to solve.
Alexander
(15,318 posts)You know, the country that is currently the major competitor of the US? The country that has had nukes since 1964? The country that is the sole remaining supporter of North Korea?
Even if Obama was able to magically eliminate all nuclear weapons in the US, by no means does it mean any other country would follow suit. Such disarmament would require signed treaties and inspections. It's naive to think any other country would "follow his example" because every country has its own best interests at heart which sometimes conflict with the best interests of the United States.
This is the kind of talk, much less action, that will lead to a first strike against us. The rest of the world is arming up. Russia's developing tons of new ICBMs/SLBMs. China too.
We're sitting on a lot of old equipment and trying to head to the weakest position possible. We'll lose everything with this idea. Our cities and lives foremost.
RC
(25,592 posts)We started it. We armed most of the rest of the other countries with nuclear armament, either directly or indirectly.
We are the worlds worst bully. No? What other country has anywhere near the military bases we do all over the world.
Peace Keepers? Not us. Why are we selling arms and ammunition to any and everyone? Often to both sides of conflicts? Killing machines are our countries biggest export.
Never did that? What do you think all the mideast wars were fought against?
The French are busy selling planes to the Indians and now Brazil it looks. They also helped Israel's program early on too.
It's not this 1 sided easy thing you think it is.
You made a claim that weapons are our #1 export. Can you back that up with cites please?
AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)First of all, why do you figure that Russia would try to destroy us for actually trying to reduce our deployed arsenal? I think Moscow would welcome such a move and attempt to scale back their own.
Secondly, yes, it is true that the Russian Air Force has upgraded their old equipment by developing new launchers and such. However, though, no new warheads have been built since the mid-'90s.
And thirdly, again, why do you think that Russia would launch a full-scale nuclear attack for no reason? Even the Chinese aren't that foolish! Sorry, but I think you may have bought into some of the old Cold War era warhawk propaganda.........
AndySipowicz
(26 posts)while Russia and China are adding/updating their weapons.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)