Nuclear Weapons
Reagan and Gorbachev sign the INF Treaty (1987). Reagan library.
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RECENT ANALYSIS
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May 12, 2008
Nuclear Terrorism is a Likely Event
In this opinion editorial published in the Knoxville News Sentinel, Senior Military Fellow Lt. Gen. Robert Gard argues that our government is not taking the necessary steps to prevent nuclear terrorism, even though it is one of the gravest threats to U.S. security. "It is incredible that our government is failing to accord the highest priority to taking the actions necessary to prevent terrorists from carrying out their threat to detonate a nuclear weapon on the territory of the United States, which would forever change our way of life," writes Gard. -
Apr 30, 2008
Nuclear Fuel Recycling: More Trouble Than It's Worth
Although a dozen years have elapsed since any new nuclear power reactor has come online in the U.S., there are now stirrings of a nuclear renaissance. The incentives are certainly in place. What more could the moribund nuclear power industry possibly want?Just one thing: a place to ship its used reactor fuel, writes Center board member Frank von Hippel in this recent commentary. -
Apr 25, 2008
Arms Control in 2009: An Early Look at the 111th Congress
With the nation's eyes focused squarely on the presidential candidates, little attention has been paid to the growing list of influential members of Congress who plan to retire at the end of this year. These retirements will have important implications when it comes to arms control. - See more articles »
By the late 1960s, it became apparent that while the arms race between the United States and Soviet Union was yielding thousands of additional nuclear weapons, it was not leading to greater security for either country or the world at-large.
Thus, in 1968, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as the NPT, was opened for signature. In addition to establishing an international commitment to nonproliferation, the NPT laid the groundwork for eventual disarmament by all existing nuclear states. This disarmament vision was embodied in Article VI, which called upon signatories to negotiate "effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race" as well as "general and complete disarmament."
The NPT served as a prelude to the first round of Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT I) between the U.S. and Soviet Union. On May 26, 1972, SALT I produced bilateral pledges to freeze at existing levels the number of strategic ballistic missile launchers possessed by each country and to take other steps to mitigate the arms race. Most notably, SALT I also produced the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty banning missile defense systems as well as an interim agreement on strategic offensive arms.
In the past 30 years, various important agreements were negotiated and signed between the United States, Soviet Union (and its successor states), and other parties to reduce strategic nuclear stockpiles. These include the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, Strategic Arms Reduction Talks I (START I) and the Lisbon Protocol, Strategic Arms Reduction Talks II (START II), Strategic Arms Reduction Talks III (START III), and the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT or Moscow Treaty).
FACT SHEETS
Apr 15, 2008 Potential U.S. Ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Fact Sheet
Apr 15, 2008 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Fact Sheet
Mar 5, 2008 History, Design, and Prospects for Improving Pakistan's Nuclear Personnel Reliability Program (PRP)
ADDITIONAL READING
- 10 Reasons to Support a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)
This Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation fact sheet briefly provides 10 key reasons to support a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). - Congressional Research Service, "Nuclear Warheads: The Reliable Replacement Warhead Program and the Life Extension Program," updated, December 3, 2007.
- Congressional Research Service, "The Reliable Replacement Warhead Program: Background and Current Developments," updated December 18, 2007.
- Congressional Research Service, "Nuclear Weapons: Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty," updated November 30, 2007.
- Congressional Research Service, "Arms Control and Nonproliferation: A Catalog of Treaties and Agreements," updated August 9, 2007.