ASP Statement on U.S./Russia Nuclear Pact
The American Security Project released the following statement:
In our 2008 report, “A New American Arsenal,” we laid out our vision for the future of American security policy, a future in which diplomacy, constructive engagement, and strategic vision pave the way toward building a stronger, safer America. In that report, we found that a forward-thinking approach to nuclear non-proliferation, one of the key cornerstones of a truly comprehensive American security strategy, requires, among other things, re-affirming America’s genuine commitment to eventual nuclear disarmament and unequivocally restating U.S. policy against the use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states.
On April 8, President Obama signed an important arms control treaty with Russia pledging a reduction in U.S. and Russian nuclear stockpiles, taking a significant step toward achieving these critical objectives. The treaty cuts American and Russian strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 over seven years, reducing the overall number by approximately one third. It also commits the U.S. and Russia to cut the number of land and sea-based launchers to 800 within the same timeframe, reducing the total to half that allowed under the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). Taken together with the administration’s April 6th policy statement clearly defining U.S. policy regarding the limited circumstances under which nuclear weapons can be used, these steps represent significant progress on the path that we set out in 2008.
It is important to recognize that there is more progress to be made; America must continue to develop and refine a strong yet principled approach to non-proliferation, using all of the tools at our disposal to move toward the ultimate goal of a nuclear-weapons-free world.
