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Article: Reassessing the Role of Nuclear Weapons
- Article from:
- Arms Control Today
- Article date:
- January 1, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright Arms Control Association Jan/Feb 2009. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Beginning Jan. 20, U.S. nuclear weapons policy can and must change. The U.S.-Soviet standoff that gave rise to tens of thousands of nuclear weapons is over, but the policies developed to justify their possession and potential use remain largely the same.
Previous post-Cold War efforts to update the U.S. nuclear posture fell woefully short. Deployed arsenals have been halved, yet the United States and Russia still retain approximately 5,000 warheads each, mainly to deter a surprise attack by the other. Current policies also call for the possible use of nuclear weapons to defend U.S. forces and allies against conventional attacks and counter suspected chemical or biological weapons threats.
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