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

legal issue, it is a political one: if the strongest military
alliance in the history of the world maintains that 200
or so nuclear gravity bombs are necessary to preserve
peace <strong>and</strong> prevent coercion, it is only reasonable that
other nations with less powerful military forces will
decide that they also need to acquire nuclear arsenals
for their security.
But the fact is that the further reduction <strong>and</strong> eventual
elimination of TNWs are considered important
contributions to nonproliferation <strong>and</strong> disarmament.
Interestingly, the 2011 Strategic Concept expressed, for
the first time, <strong>NATO</strong>’s commitment “to create the conditions
for a world without nuclear weapons in accordance
with the goals of the <strong>Nuclear</strong> Non-Proliferation
Treaty.” 20
Finally, in some European host countries, there is
growing concern about the security risks connected
with the presence of TNWs <strong>and</strong> the possible danger
of unauthorized use, sabotage, or theft of these weapons.
21 This is especially true after a Blue Ribbon Review
conducted by the U.S. Air Force in 2008 highlighted
deficiencies in the custody of American weapons at
European bases. The report disclosed that the majority
of the bases did not meet the security st<strong>and</strong>ards
established by the U.S. Department of Defense, <strong>and</strong>
the reduced military salience of these weapons has
led to diminished attention by base personnel <strong>and</strong> to
waning expertise. 22 This issue is particularly relevant
in Belgium, where much of the discussion of TNWs is
kept alive by bombspotting actions by the peace movement
that showcase the vulnerability of the Kleine
Brogel air base, which is believed to host TNWs. 23
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