Senate Democratic Policy Committee Reports on Nukes

The first two reports contain some very good and useful information. However, the third report titled “The President's Budget Makes Vital Investments for Maintaining Our Robust Nuclear Stockpile, Minimizing Proliferation Risks, and Halting the Spread of Nuclear Weapons” contains inaccuracies and bad policy recommendations. The budget does not reflect policies that prioritize maintaining the current nuclear stockpile. Instead, the budget  focuses on new nuclear weapons production facilities and significantly modified nuclear warheads.

Contrary to the report’s claim that the budget reflects an expansion of the existing Life Extension Program, the budget actually supports a deviation from existing methods of maintaining the nuclear stockpile. Unlike previous warhead refurbishment programs, the new approach will likely include replacement of key nuclear components in the warhead. This approach is at odds with recent independent studies concluding that the current method of maintaining the stockpile works. It also brings up questions about whether the stockpile can be reliably maintained under this new approach. Some experts are concerned that further deviation from tested designs, particularly with nuclear components, could jeopardize reliability.

The report also states that the proposed plutonium facilities at Los Alamos and the uranium production facility at Oak Ridge are intended to “facilitate world-class nuclear science and help attract top young scientists to the nuclear workforce.” While maintaining a competent work force is important, this was not the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) primary objective in building these facilities. Originally, they were intended to support the Reliable Replacement Warhead Program (RRW), an entirely new generation of nuclear warheads. Despite the cancellation of RRW, the design of these facilities has not changed. They are still designed to support an increase in nuclear weapons production capacity. With a new CMRR and UPF, the nuclear complex will build at least 50-80 new nuclear warheads per year. Production on this scale has not been done since before the end of the Cold War. Although the Obama administration has pledged not to develop new nuclear weapons, future administrations may not adopt similar policies.

NNSA needs to stop trying to relive the Cold War. It's the military equivalent of having a friend that still dresses like Don Johnson.

For an accurate report on the FY11 budget, read former OMB Examiner, Bob Civiac's report at http://www.trivalleycares.org/new/reports/FY2011BUDGETRPT.pdf.

...I especially loved the dig at Don Johnson.