Nuclear Posture Review: Obstacles and Opportunities

The Obama administration will issue its Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) in early 2010.  It’s publication will establish US nuclear weapons policy for the next 5-10 years, making it a very important document.  The NPR will also demonstrate the administration’s willingness to fulfill the President’s vision of a nuclear weapons free world that he outlined earlier this year in Prague, a policy that may run into trouble with decision makers in the Pentagon who primarily draft the policy.

To learn more about the obstacles in shaping an forward-thinking NPR, read this trenchant analysis called “The Pentagon’s Nuclear Posture Landmine” from Joe Cirincione at the Huffington Post. Here’s an excerpt:

If the Pentagon’s civilian officials continue on their current course, the new Obama nuclear policy will be Bush Light. Same doctrine, same weapons, slightly tweaked. This would duplicate the failure of the posture review during the Clinton administration, which made only minor adjustments to the policy of Bush 41.

This is our chance to end an outdated Cold War mentality and policy. Click here and take action.  Send a letter to President Obama telling him to include his vision for a nuclear weapons free world  in the NPR.