US to loosen nuclear weapons constraints and develop more ‘usable’ warheads
- New proposal is significantly more hawkish than Obama-era policy
- Critics call development of new weapons ‘dangerous, Cold War thinking’
The Trump administration plans to loosen constraints on the use of nuclear weapons and develop a new low-yield nuclear warhead for US Trident missiles, according to a former official who has seen the most recent draft of a policy review.
Jon Wolfsthal, who was special assistant to Barack Obama on arms control and nonproliferation, said the new nuclear posture review prepared by the Pentagon, envisages a modified version of the Trident D5 submarine-launched missiles with only part of its normal warhead, with the intention of deterring Russia from using tactical warheads in a conflict in Eastern Europe.
Link to article: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/09/us-to-loosen-nuclear-weapons-policy-and-develop-more-usable-warheads
-
Country diary: Sandy, Bedfordshire: The raven’s wings lifted and fell, like a working bellows
-
US and China expand visa deal in attempt to ease diplomatic tensions
-
Syria crisis: US prepares for military action without Britain – live updates
-
Mexican police seize 18 kidnap suspects in Acapulco – most are fellow officers
-
Moths on the move: annual bogong migration starts early
Leave a Reply