Schlesinger report on the role of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe

PONI Debates the Issues yesterday discussed some of the recommendations in the Schlesinger-led task force for dealing with nuclear oversight and management in the United States. Another important recommendation coming out of the report is the importance of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe. As reported by Walter Pincus at the Washington Post, the report notes

As long as NATO members rely on U.S. nuclear weapons for deterrence -- and as long as they maintain their own dual-capable aircraft as part of that deterrence -- no action should be taken to remove them without a thorough and deliberate process of consultation

As part of the commitment to ensuring extended deterrence for allies in Europe, the panel also recommended modernization of cruise missiles. Should the U.S. reverse course on cruise missiles currently scheduled from removal from the active stockpile? How important are U.S. TNW's in Europe for deterring possible attacks?

When we discussed this

Submitted by on Wed, 02/04/2009 - 5:38pm.

When we discussed this report at the meeting, I tried to raise a point about difference between mismanagement issues and nuclear advocacy.

I have just found an interesting analysis of the report by Hans Kristensen:

"The decline in nuclear prowess that the Minot investigations have detected hasn’t simply happened because overstretched officers failed to do their job or the nation lost faith in nuclear weapons. It is a symptom, a hint. It has declined because nuclear weapons are no longer center and square to the national security of the United States nor its foreign policy. For sure, nuclear weapons haven’t gone away and there are still many challenges, but there are elements of the nuclear mission that are no longer essential and can and should be reassessed.

But the Minot investigations haven’t done that. Instead they have gone beyond fixing safety and security issues to using the incident to reaffirm status quo and reject change."

See the full text here
http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2009/01/schlesingerreport.php#more-669