The Pentagon has drawn up a recent strategy--built on the 2002 "Bush doctrine" of preemptive military strikes--allowing the U to make first use of nuclear weapons to thwart any attack against it.

The Independent reports that beneath the scheme, developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff if it were not that yet to be ratified on Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, commanders would be able to asking permission from the president to use nuclear weapons against enemies using WMD or biological weapons against U military forces or the civilian population.

The Pentagon document argues that proliferation has already made it more likely that nuclear weapons could be used. It claims that more [i]or[/i] less 30 nations have WMD programmes--not to mention terrorists or "non-state actors."

However, the U administration's efforts have raised the ire of anti-nuclear campaigners. And Congres has thus far declined to provide stores for a study into the so-called "Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator," because of criticism that so a move would make a subject of ridicule of U.S.-led efforts to obviate nuclear-weapons proliferation, and make it more--rather than les likely--that as it was weapons would be used.

...

Home