An Iowan's Hope on Nuclear Disarmament

“There
is a broad and growing bipartisan consensus among the national security
and military establishment that in order to combat the threats of a
post-9/11 world – such as those demonstrated by the Christmas airline
bombing attempt – that the United States needs a smart national
security strategy focused on keeping our military strong and our nation
safe.”

The first anniversary of President Obama’s inauguration has passed, and from my perspective as an Iowan concerned with the existence and proliferation of nuclear weapons, President Obama has done well and there remains work to be done.
 
According to John Isaacs, the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation “gave President Obama a grade of “A” for transforming United States nuclear weapons policy during his first year in office and an “Incomplete” for completing the new policy initiatives he has launched.”
 
Isaacs continued, “President Obama’s forthrightness about the dangers of nuclear weapons and the need to take immediate action to avoid a nuclear holocaust constitute the most significant remarks by an American President on nuclear disarmament in the last half century.”

There is a broad and growing bipartisan consensus among the national security and military establishment that in order to combat the threats of a post-9/11 world – such as those demonstrated by the Christmas airline bombing attempt – the United States needs a smart national security strategy focused on keeping our military strong and our nation safe.

The path to doing this is clear. In partnership with other nations, we must secure the world’s current nuclear weapons, prevent their use by terrorists and hostile nations, and reduce the number of nuclear bombs worldwide from the approximately 23,000 that presently exist.
 
Some historical context from Harry Truman’s presidential memoir, Years of Trial and Hope is helpful. At a press conference on November 30, 1950 Truman said, “I made the remark that ‘we will take whatever steps are necessary to meet the military situation (in Korea), just as we always have.’”

“Will that include the atomic bomb?” one of the reporters asked.

“That includes every weapon we have,” I replied.
“Mr. President,” the questioner shot back, “you said every weapon we have. Does that mean that there is active consideration of the use of the atomic bomb?”

Paraphrasing Truman, “There has always been active consideration of its use. Consideration of the use of any weapon is always implicit in the very possession of that weapon.” The press interpreted Truman’s statement to be a threat to use nuclear weapons in Korea.

As in 1950, the decision whether to use nuclear weapons rests with the president. From President Obama’s transformation of nuclear weapons policy and recent actions, it is clear he understands the threat of the existence of nuclear weapons. He is willing to lead the government in mitigating our risks.
 
There will be many steps along the pathway to a nuclear weapons free world, beginning with the START negotiations with Russia, the ongoing Nuclear Posture Review and the Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference in New York this May. One hopes these steps and the rest of the nuclear disarmament work will be successful and that President Obama’s incomplete will become an “A.”

~Paul Deaton is a native Iowan living in rural Johnson County.  Check
out his blog, Big Grove Garden.
   E-mail Paul Deaton