#1
Vremya MN
January 10, 2002
INCAUTIOUS DISMANTLING
The Pentagon does not want to destroy its nuclear warheads
Author: Artur Blinov
[from WPS Monitoring Agency, www.wps.ru/e_index.html]

THE US DEFENSE DEPARTMENT HAS SUBMITTED PROPOSALS REGARDING THE REVISION OF US NUCLEAR POLICY TO THE CONGRESS. IT TURNS OUT THAT US GENERALS WANT TO RESUME NUCLEAR TESTS. IF GEORGE W. BUSH APPROVES THESE PROPOSALS, IT WILL BE THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER ARMS RACE.

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has confirmed that the Pentagon has submitted a report regarding the revision of nuclear policy to the Congress. The US media has revealed the contents of this secret report, particularly its main recommendation the US should be ready to resume nuclear tests if "this becomes necessary". Previously, this idea was proposed by the Energy Department.

The defense secretary says that the US does not currently intend to break the nuclear test moratorium announced in 1992. In the future the policy of the US administration will depend on the necessity of "checking security and reliability" of the nuclear arsenals, but not the moratorium.

It is evident that the report contains arguments aimed at preparing public opinion for such move. According to the report, security and reliability of nuclear weapons are out of the question without tests in the circumstances of cuts to strategic offensive weapons. A reference to cuts to strategic arsenals was used as the main argument for canceling the ABM treaty. The US media note that the US military establishment needs nuclear tests for creating new types of warheads.

The Pentagon has submitted two additional proposals. Cuts to numbers of strategic nuclear warheads is to be compensated by a broader use of high-precision conventional arms. In addition, the Pentagon proposes to store warheads dismantled from missiles, but not to destroy them.

If George W. Bush approves these proposals, it will be the beginning of another arms race.

In this regard, upcoming negotiations between Russia and the US regarding cuts to strategic offensive weapons have become very important. The first meeting of experts will start in Washington next Monday. The parties must reach a precise agreement concerning destruction of nuclear warheads. These measures must become transparent, otherwise the whole affair will become an imitation of arms control.

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