U.S. to cut nuclear launchers under treaty with Russia: officials

[bananas]

Source: Reuters

The United States will scale back its nuclear bombers, submarine launchers and ballistic missiles in the first cuts to its leftover cold war nuclear arsenal since ratifying a landmark treaty with Russia in 2011, officials said on Tuesday.

Under the treaty, known as New Start, the U.S. military will disable four missile launch tubes on each of the 14 U.S. nuclear submarines, convert 30 B-52 nuclear bombers to conventional use and empty 50 intercontinental ballistic missile silos, senior administration officials said.

<snip>

Critics said the Pentagon could make deeper cuts.

"The administration's plan for adjusting the force to meet New START goals is modest in the extreme and still leaves the U.S. with far more strategic nuclear weapons than the president and the Pentagon say they need for deterrence purposes," said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, an antiproliferation group.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/08/us-usa-defense-nuclear-idUSBREA3722U20140408

[bossy22]

1. are the russians going to actually fulfill their end of the agreement?

[davidpdx]

3. Trust but verfy

It's good to see some progress in relations with Russia continuing.

[bemildred]

4. U.S., Russia complete warheads-for-fuel program

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2014/04/07/US-Russia-complete-warheads-for-fuel-program/2971396888995/

[eggplant]

5. Ask yourself this: does it matter?

The less of that crap we have, the less money we have to pay for its upkeep. And getting rid of it doesn't make us less safer.

So who cares if they do or not?

[Iliyah]

2. Ya'think the Americans will?

[olddad56]

6. my guess is that it would be a token gesture because we have probably found better ways to deliver

the nukes.