Getting to Zero

Nuclear Strategic Posture Review

Report Findings: The GOOD

• The report stresses the essential need for U.S. leadership on nuclear issues
• The report urges the U.S. and Russia to reduce the size of their nuclear arsenals
• The report underscores the importance of sustaining and strengthening the global nonproliferation regime
• The report calls on the U.S. to demonstrate that it relies less than ever on nuclear weapons for political and military purposes
• The report insists that maintenance and modernization of the U.S. nuclear stockpile should occur within the constraints of existing U.S. policy
• The report states that the U.S. should reaffirm its Article VI Non-Proliferation Treaty commitment to move toward complete and total disarmament “directly and forcefully”

Report Findings: The BAD

• The report fails to recommend ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
• The report greatly overstates the degree to which extended nuclear deterrence, the nuclear umbrella that the U.S. extends to protect its allies, is a key factor driving the size and characteristics of the U.S. nuclear arsenal
• The report presents an imbalanced assessment of the Stockpile Stewardship Program and the Life Extension Program, a science-based effort to maintain confidence in the safety and reliability of the nation’s nuclear arsenal absent nuclear testing
• The report paints a misleading picture of the modernization programs of Russia and China in relation to U.S. efforts to maintain its deterrent
• The report’s assessment of the key threat to U.S. national security does not warrant the large role that it continues to assign nuclear weapons

“Final Report of the Congressional Commission on the Nuclear Strategic Posture of the United States” (by Kingston Reif, The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, May 6, 2009)

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

3 Pillars – Non-Proliferation, Disarmament, Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy

Wikipedia on NPT

“Our Best Weapon Against Nuclear Proliferation” (Partnership for a Secure America, May, 2009)

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty Organization

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty text

“The Logic of the Test Ban Treat” (by Daryl Kimball, Arms Control Association, May 2009)

“A Strategy for Achieving Senate Approval of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty” (by John Isaacs, The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, April 15, 2009)

START Talks

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty or “START” will expire on December 5^th of this year. Both the U.S. and Russia have committed to completing an updated treaty for arms reduction by December of this year.

“Obama Administration is Bringing Nuclear Arms Control Back” (by Mary Beth Sheridan, Washington Post, May 8, 2009)

“ANALYSIS – Russia-U.S. ties have tentative start” (by Sue Pleming, Reuters, May 6, 2009)

“START Follow-On Treaty and Further Nuclear Reductions: Where are we?” (by John Isaacs, The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, April 13, 2009)

High-Alert Nuclear Weapons: The Forgotten Danger (by Steven Starr, Scientists for Global Responsibility, October 2008)

MORE on Nuclear Weapons, Nonproliferation and Disarmament

President Obama: 100 Days of Significant Progress (by John Isaacs, The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, April 28, 2009)

“Is the Next Defense Budget a Stimulus Package?” (by Frida Berrigan, New America Foundation, March 12, 2009)

“Catastrophic Climate Consequences of Nuclear Conflict” (by Steven Starr, International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation, April 2008)

Nuclear Darkness & Global Climate Change: The Deadly Consequences of Nuclear War (website of Steven Starr)

WMD Report Card: Evaluating U.S. Policies to Prevent Nuclear, Chemical & Biological Terrorism Since 2005 (Partnership for a Secure America, 2008)

“Pakistan nuclear projects raise U.S. fears” (by Simon Tisdall, Guardian, May 3, 2009)

“Gates on Nuclear Disarmament: Not So Fast” (by Nathan Hodge, Wired, May 4, 2009)