Nuclear Use Authority

There is no more consequential decision for a president than ordering a nuclear strike. Once launched, a nuclear-armed missile cannot be recalled or aborted. Today, the strategic environment and threats that could lead to the use of a nuclear weapon have changed from the Cold War, yet much of U.S. policy with respect to nuclear use authority remains grounded in that past era, increasing the risk of an accident or a mistake.


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Safer World 2020
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Safer World 2020

Engaging U.S. voters about the urgency to reduce nuclear and other WMD threats

More News and Analysis on Nuclear Weapons Programs, Policy, and Deterrence




NTI President and CEO Christine Wormuth on the Expiration of the New START Treaty

News

NTI President and CEO Christine Wormuth on the Expiration of the New START Treaty

New START, the last remaining arms control treaty capping U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, expires on February 5. This marks the beginning of a dangerous new era. For the first time in several decades, there will be no limits on nuclear weapons, less visibility into Russian nuclear weapons activities, and fewer tools to manage a crisis between the world’s two largest nuclear powers.


Global Nuclear Effects: Economic and Financial Fallout of Nuclear Use

Paper

Global Nuclear Effects: Economic and Financial Fallout of Nuclear Use

Despite the high stakes, the economic and financial considerations of nuclear weapons use remain underexplored. This paper examines several decades of research on economic and financial effects of nuclear weapons use, and explores the key gaps in our understanding of effects in today’s interconnected world.


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