President Obama Wants To Change America's Nuclear First Strike Policy

Photo: Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

Josh Rogin, Washington Post: Obama plans major nuclear policy changes in his final months

The Obama administration is determined to use its final six months in office to take a series of executive actions to advance the nuclear agenda the president has advocated since his college days. It’s part of Obama’s late push to polish a foreign policy legacy that is plagued by challenges on several other fronts.

President Obama announced his drive to reduce the role of nuclear weapons and eventually rid the world of them in his first major foreign policy speech, in Prague in 2009. In his first years, he achieved some successes, such as the New START treaty with Russia, the Nuclear Security Summits and the controversial Iran deal. But progress waned in the past year as more pressing crises commanded the White House’s attention. Now, the president is considering using the freedom afforded a departing administration to cross off several remaining items on his nuclear wish list.

In recent weeks, the national security Cabinet members known as the Principals Committee held two meetings to review options for executive actions on nuclear policy. Many of the options on the table are controversial, but by design none of them require formal congressional approval. No final decisions have been made, but Obama is expected to weigh in personally soon.

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WNU Editor: No one is happy with this policy direction ....

White House Mulls Big Nuclear Policy Changes, and Lawmakers Speak Up -- Defense News
US Air Force Secretary Skeptical of No-First-Use Nuclear Policy -- Defense News
‘No first use’ nuclear weapons policy a dangerous Obama idea -- Michaela Dodge, Washington Times
America Must Be Ready to Nuke First -- Guy B. Roberts, National Interest