Nuclear security

Nuclear Doctrine: US Will No Longer Restrain Its Atomic Capability – Scholars

On February 2, Washington releasedits Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) 2018: "While the United States has continued to reduce the number and salience of nuclear weapons, others, including Russia and China, have moved in the opposite direction," the document's summary said.

The doctrine accused North Korea of "[the] illicit pursuit of nuclear weapons and missile capabilities in direct violation of United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions" and claimed that Iran "retains the technological capability and much of the capacity necessary to develop a nuclear weapon within one year of a decision to do so."

Citing the alleged security threats the new American doctrine envisages further modernization of US nuclear weaponry prompting justified fears among international observers and politicians.

"The US government's new nuclear posture shows that the spiral of a new nuclear arms race is already under way," German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel stated commenting on the NPR's release.