Obama nuclear doctrine to target Iran, NK

Under Obama's Nuclear Posture Review, the administration will foreswear the use of the deadly weapons against nonnuclear countries, officials said, in contrast to previous administrations, which indicated they might use nuclear arms against nonnuclear states in retaliation for a biological or chemical attack.

But Obama included a major caveat: The countries must be in compliance with their nonproliferation obligations under international treaties. That loophole would mean Iran would remain on the potential target list.

The new policy will also describe the purpose of U.S. weapons as being fundamentally for deterrence. Some Democratic legislators had urged Obama to go further and declare that the United States would not use nuclear weapons first in a conflict. But officials in the Defense and State departments worried that such a change could unnerve allies protected by the U.S. nuclear "umbrella."

The nuclear review calls for major new investments in nuclear weapons laboratories and facilities to maintain the aging arsenal. Administration officials have argued that such investments would allow for more confidence in the the stockpile's effectiveness and would eventually allow cuts in excess weapons.

But the budget increase has raised eyebrows among some arms-control experts. They worry that it sends a signal that the U.S. nuclear complex will be around for decades.

A major topic of debate in the review was whether to develop a new warhead, and how much refurbishing of old warheads would turn them into "new" weapons. Last year, Congress said that future "life extension programs" for warheads should be examined on a case-by-case basis and that any changes should be limited to keeping current capabilities.

Many nuclear analysts think the review will not call for any immediate changes in the package of nuclear warheads now going through the life-extension program. Rather, it will leave that open as a future option.

Stephen Young, a senior analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, said: "The administration will make the right choice not to develop a new nuclear warhead now, but they will leave the door open to that option, essentially kicking that can down the road. Our concern is some people will want to walk through that door very soon, when the science says it isn't required."

The NYT also has an article on the NPR.