Tactical Nuclear Weapons and NATO.pdf - Program on Strategic ...

the familiar dichotomy of whether the official asked
comes from the Ministry of Defense or Foreign Affairs.
Some argue that it provides the host country additional
status within <strong>NATO</strong> <strong>and</strong> a useful means of
demonstrating unity of commitment. Others maintain
that the mission represents a waste of scarce resources
<strong>and</strong> a missed opportunity for <strong>NATO</strong> to demonstrate
its seriousness about reducing its reliance on nuclear
weapons.
Turkey’s role in the Alliance <strong>and</strong> its regional
situation mean that Turkish views carry a particular
significance. It is also host to U.S. nuclear warheads,
<strong>and</strong> Turkish aircraft continue to have DCA status at a
lower level of readiness. Turkish officials also say that
they would prefer a continuation of existing arrangements,
but they are quick to refute suggestions that
changes to <strong>NATO</strong>’s nuclear policy could lead to their
own nuclear aspirations. In this respect, some observers
claim that potential instability in the Middle East
provides an additional rationale for a continuation of
the Turkish DCA role as representing a crisis response
tool for <strong>NATO</strong>. However, critics point out that the
same arguments concerning the lack of credibility of
DCA operational use—<strong>and</strong> therefore deterrent utility—apply
equally to this situation.
The High Level Group.
The input to the DDPR on <strong>NATO</strong>’s nuclear policy
will be provided by the HLG which was created in
the 1970s to ensure that nuclear issues received highlevel
political attention. Chaired by the United States,
it comprises senior officials from national capitals. The
major task for the HLG <strong>and</strong> thereafter the NAC will be
to reach agreement on what <strong>NATO</strong> says <strong>and</strong> does con-
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