Paths to Zero -- Striving Toward a Nuclear-Free World

US nuclear weapons policy for the 21st century

SAN FRANCISCO – The United States must lead the way to reducing nuclear weapons worldwide. The elimination of nuclear weapons is entering the political mainstream. Both presidential candidates have publicly supported deeper cuts to the U.S. nuclear arsenal. While Democrat Barack Obama endorsed the eventual elimination of nuclear weapons, Republican John McCain said he would trim the U.S. nuclear stockpile. Supporting the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) are two of the ways the U.S. can strengthen nonproliferation efforts worldwide. The Federation of American Scientists will host a symposium to discuss U.S. nuclear weapons policy in the 21st century at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, on Friday, 26 September from 12:00 – 2:30 pm PDT.

The future of the world's nuclear security is uncertain. While support in the United States grows for major reductions in nuclear weapons, there is continuing danger of proliferation of nuclear weapons to more countries. In a serious setback for non-proliferation, the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) lifted a three-decade ban on the export of nuclear fuel and technology to India, though India refused to sign the CTBT or the NPT. This historic nuclear technology cooperation agreement between the United States and India could undermine efforts to contain the nuclear ambitions of othere countries, such as Iran, even though preventing these countries from developing nuclear weapons is of vital national security interest to the U.S.

At the same time Russia is urging all countries that have not yet joined the CTBT to sign or ratify it. In September 2008, the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization conducted a field inspection exercise at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan to verify the efficiency of field inspection technology and procedures.

What will U.S. nuclear policy look like for the 21st century?