Obama Sets US Nuclear Agenda by Introducing Nuclear Posture Review

WASHINGTON, April 6, 2010 (Xinhua) --

U.S. President Barack Obama said that the Nuclear Posture Review, unveiled on Tuesday, puts preventing nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism at the top of U.S. nuclear agenda.

The new strategy represents a crucial step the administration is taking before the signing of a nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia on Thursday, a nuclear security summit next week, and a review conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)in May.

In addition to advancing toward Obama's vision of a nuclear-free world, the United States is trying to strike a chord by cutting its own nuclear weapons and limiting the use of its massive nuclear arsenal.

"There is a significant perception gap between in particular the United States and the developing world on how serious the threat of nuclear terrorism is," said Kenneth Luongo, president of Partnership for Global Security, a non-profit promoting efforts to secure weapons of mass destruction.

Michael O'Hanlon, a security expert from the Brookings Institution, argued that the United States, by limiting its own "flexibility" in its nuclear posture, may also limit the extent to which other countries demand Washington to take actions in disarmament without doing something to prevent and disrupt proliferation themselves.

In a White House statement, Obama said the United States is "further emphasizing the importance of nations meeting their Non-Proliferation Treaty and nuclear non-proliferation obligations through our declaratory policy."

He said the United States is declaring it will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapons nations that comply with provisions of the NPT.

He noted that "those nations that fail to meet their obligations will therefore find themselves more isolated, and will recognize that the pursuit of nuclear weapons will not make them more secure."

James Acton, a disarmament and deterrence expert with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said that "by cutting its arsenal, by showing its resolve in working towards a world free of nuclear weapons, the United States hopes to bolster and strengthen the Non-Proliferation Treaty in May."

However, some experts argue that the United States should do more in disarmament than focus on nuclear terrorism and non-proliferation.

Jayantha Dhanapala, a former United Nations undersecretary-general in charge of disarmament affairs, said that only by eliminating all nuclear weapons can true nuclear security be achieved. He said that as countries continue to choose nuclear weapons as a vital part of their security posture, possession of nuclear weapons remains a "badge of power status of the world."

But experts agree that whatever the route, international cooperation is needed to enhance nuclear security. Acton said that as the threats the world faces become more diverse, the solution is going to be cooperative action.

"It's going to be working together in things like the nuclear security summit next month in order to ensure that nuclear materials don't fall into the hands of terrorists," he said. "It's going to involve strategic dialogues so that countries understand each other's intentions so there's no miscommunication.

"It's going to be working cooperatively through the Security Council to ensure that states that break international law, break their non-proliferation obligation have consequences for doing so," he added.

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