President Barack Obama, who campaigned on his desire for a "nuclear-free world," is now overseeing U.S. efforts to revamp its nuclear arsenal, which over the next three decades will cost up to $1 trillion, reported the New York Times on Sunday.
It was just five years ago, in 2009, when Obama was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize largely for his pledge to bring about a nuclear-free world.
"The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said. "Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened."
But now the Nobel Laureate, who has bombed seven countries since taking office, has seemingly reversed himself on another campaign promise.
As Obama's top nuclear adviser in his first term told the Times, "Putin's invasion of Ukraine has made any measure to reduce the stockpile unilaterally politically impossible."
Then you have to consider, according to the Times, China "pressing its own territorial claims and Pakistan expanding its arsenal."
"The overall chances for Mr. Obama's legacy of disarmament look increasingly dim," said the Times. "Congress has expressed less interest in atomic reductions than looking tough in Washington's escalating confrontation with Moscow."
The original plan supposedly involved a "modest rebuilding" of the nation's aging weapons and delivery systems, but due to "political deals and geopolitical crisis" things have shifted into a more extensive rebuilding of atomic weaponry that will somehow enable the long-term reduction of nuclear arms and put the U.S. back on the path to fulfilling Obama's vision for a nuclear-free world.
The Obama administration insists it's absolutely necessary to first make improvements to the nuclear arsenal before making it smaller, reported the Times.
"While we still have weapons, the most important thing is to make sure they are safe, secure and reliable," said Daniel Poneman, the U.S. Deputy Energy Secretary. "It's important to our extended deterrent."
As part of the $1 trillion budgeted plan, the administration reportedly told the Pentagon to "plan for 12 new missile submarines, up to 100 new bombers and 400 land-based missiles, either new or refurbished." The plan will also see eight nuclear facilities undergo upgrades.
