The new US nuclear policy is damaging to the global nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation regime, and is irresponsible in a number of significant ways.
The new policy, published today in the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), increases the role of nuclear weapons in US security policy. This despite commitments made under the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to reduce that role. It goes so far as to suggest that the threshold against the use of nuclear weapons should be lowered. This willingness to use nuclear weapons is a proliferation incentive.
The posture review is also talking about creating a new type of more usable nuclear weapon, while the US already has lower yield nuclear bombs. Yet, there’s nothing that explains in what way this kind of capability does anything other than increase the chances that nuclear weapons will be used. There was great upheaval over the US Centers for Disease Control announcement to do a training on public health responses to nuclear weapons use. However, the international community has already stated clearly that in case of a nuclear attack no adequate help would be possible. The fact that even small nuclear weapons would have catastrophic transnational impact is yet another reason the majority of world’s countries decided nuclear weapons should be illegal.
Allies of the US, especially those with special relationships (for example the countries that host US nuclear bombs) should stand up as it is irresponsible to threat with the use of nuclear weapons without consequence.
Responsible countries are those that work to strengthen the norms against nuclear weapons. Responsible countries do not threaten to use nuclear weapons, or allow nuclear weapons use to be threatened on their behalf. Responsible countries recognize there is a clear path towards the end of the nuclear weapons era. Therefore, PAX calls upon all countries to strengthen the taboo against the use of nuclear weapons through signing and ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
: Irresponsibility in action
The new US nuclear policy, the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), published today, is damaging to the global nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation regime, and is irresponsible in a number of significant ways.
The new policy increases the role of nuclear weapons in US security policy. This despite commitments made under the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to reduce that role. It goes so far as to suggest that the threshold against the use of nuclear weapons should be lowered. This willingness to use nuclear weapons is a proliferation incentive.
The posture review is also talking about creating a new type of more usable nuclear weapon, while the US already has lower yield nuclear bombs. Yet, there’s nothing that explains in what way this kind of capability does anything other than increase the chances that nuclear weapons will be used. There was great upheaval over the US Centers for Disease Control announcement to do a training on public health responses to nuclear weapons use. However, the international community has already stated clearly that in case of a nuclear attack no adequate help would be possible. The fact that even small nuclear weapons would have catastrophic transnational impact is yet another reason the majority of world’s countries decided nuclear weapons should be illegal.
Allies of the US, especially those with special relationships (for example the countries that host US nuclear bombs) should stand up as it is irresponsible to threat with the use of nuclear weapons without consequence.
Responsible countries are those that work to strengthen the norms against nuclear weapons. Responsible countries do not threaten to use nuclear weapons, or allow nuclear weapons use to be threatened on their behalf. Responsible countries recognize there is a clear path towards the end of the nuclear weapons era. Therefore, PAX calls upon all countries to strengthen the taboo against the use of nuclear weapons through signing and ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.