Members of Congress have again called on President Barack Obama to adopt a policy of nuclear no-first-use despite the administration’s indication that it will not make such a change during the remainder of the president’s term.
The Oct. 13 letter to Obama, signed by 22 members of Congress – including Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), and John Garamendi (D-Calif.) – expressed concern over current U.S. and Russian launch-under-attack postures, which the lawmakers said increase the risk of miscalculation over the other’s intentions and, subsequently, nuclear war.
Current U.S. policy allows for first use against nuclear-weapon states under extreme circumstances. Obama was reportedly considering adopting a no-first-use policy during his final months in office, but was said to have decided against the move in light of opposition from members of his Cabinet and U.S. allies.
“For the security and safety of the world, military options that can spiral towards mutually assured destruction should not be on the table,” the letter said.
The lawmakers also argued that in addition to reducing the risk of miscalculation, a no-first-use policy would diminish the need for costly weapons such as the controversial new nuclear-armed cruise missile and intercontinental ballistic missiles. The United States is expected to spend $1 trillion over 30 years to modernize its nuclear deterrent.
The letter said a no-first-use policy would not undermine U.S. protection of allies, as the U.S. would “retain overwhelming conventional land, sea, and air forces to counter any non-nuclear attack on their territory.”
House and Senate Democrats have called on the president in recent months to make the nuclear posture change, something Republicans have opposed, calling it a blow to U.S. nuclear deterrence posture that would incentivize other nations to develop their own nuclear weapons. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter recently reaffirmed that there are no current plans to change existing policy.
Two weeks ago lawmakers introduced legislation in the House and Senate that would prevent the president from conducting a first-use nuclear strike without first obtaining a congressional declaration of war. The bills are not expected to see action until the lame duck session of Congress.
