E-Newsletter Sign Up

Administration Releases Nuclear Posture Review: Major Questions Remain

EmailPrint

Jan 9, 2002

For immediate release: Wednesday, January 9, 2002

For further information: John Isaacs (202) 543-4100 x.131

Washington, D.C. . . The Bush Administration’s public release today of its long-awaited Nuclear Posture Review by Assistant Secretary of Defense J.D. Crouch provides few details about the future of U.S. nuclear policy.

John Isaacs, Council for a Livable World president, stated: “More than ten years after the demise of the Soviet Union, it is time to transform the U.S. nuclear weapons policy that remains a relic of the Cold War. Yet after a year of study and promises of a new approach, the Administration still has left many unanswered questions.”

“Moreover,” Isaacs argued, “retaining the option of rebuilding the U.S. nuclear weapons force after cutting it goes counter to the need to de-emphasize nuclear weapons in the post-Cold War environment.”

Some of the major questions that remain:

  • What will be the final number of U.S. strategic nuclear weapons? Thus far, the Administration has revealed only a range of 1,700 - 2,200.
  • Will the Russians and the U.S. reach a written agreement on nuclear reductions?
  • What, if any, verification or transparency procedures will be included?
  • Will the Russians and the U.S. have agreed rules for counting each side’s nuclear weapons?
  • Will the U.S. permit Moscow to retain retired nuclear weapons in storage so it can reverse cuts in nuclear weapons?
  • Why will it take 10 years to carry out the nuclear reductions when the warheads will simply be taken off the missiles rather than dismantled? Will any nuclear weapons be taken off alert to reduce the risk of accidental or unauthorized launch of nuclear missiles?
  • Under what conditions will the U.S. resume nuclear testing?
  • How can the Administration reject the previous policy of nuclear weapons deterrence when it has nothing to replace it?

“The true test for the Bush Administration’s revised nuclear weapons policy is whether it leaves the U.S. more or less secure,” added Isaacs. “With so much uncertainty — and there is nothing the military hates worse than uncertainty — the Administration is leading us into a troubling period,” he concluded.

Contribute || Stay Informed