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

States <strong>and</strong> the other nuclear powers actually began to
make significant progress toward their avowed goal
of a nuclear-free world. If this last eventuality came to
pass, it could potentially diminish the nuclear aspects
of the U.S. extended deterrence guarantee. Moreover,
if any ally or other state feels threatened by another
party that is not committed to the goal of Global Zero,
it may decide that its vital national interests require it
to violate its <strong>Nuclear</strong> Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
pledge <strong>and</strong> pursue nuclear weapons for reasons of
national security. The ally most often linked to such
potential behavior is Turkey.
Sixth, the United States does have real security interests
in Europe, as well as in Asia <strong>and</strong> the Middle
East. It maintains broad <strong>and</strong> deep cultural, historical,
<strong>and</strong> economic ties to its European allies. Those interests
might be threatened by a more aggressive or revanchist
Russia, by a nuclear-armed Iran, or even by
the rise of multiple nuclear states in the Middle East
(perhaps in response to a nuclear Iran). There may
also be well-founded military reasons for deploying
a small number of U.S. nuclear weapons <strong>and</strong> their
delivery vehicles in Europe for possible use in other
regions. Obviously forward deployment of military
forces does not apply merely to extended deterrence;
it applies to many operational contingencies.
Seventh, it is important to keep in mind that the
U.S. nuclear arsenal has a number of qualitative characteristics
that give it a unique character <strong>and</strong> set of
mission capabilities. This is an important variable
to consider when determining future force size <strong>and</strong>
structure in order to meet the multiple mission sets
that nuclear weapons are asked to perform. The three
most important <strong>and</strong> broadly-based categories of missions
for nuclear weapons are to deter, to prevail in
conflict, <strong>and</strong> to assure allies. Each of those missions
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