Change in U.S. Nuclear Policy

Apparently the DOD is proposing a change in U.S. nuclear policy that would allow the U.S. to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states. The policy has been that nuclear weapons could only be used in response to a nuclear attack. Apparently they want to revise that.

I guess this means that all of those hilljacks who say, "I just think they should nuke all of them A-rabs," might get their wish.

More Than 470 Physicists Sign Petition To Oppose U.S. Policy On Nuclear Attack

More than 470 physicists, including seven Nobel laureates, have signed a petition to oppose a new U.S. Defense Department proposal that allows the United States to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states.

The petition was started by two physics professors at the University of California, San Diego, Kim Griest and Jorge Hirsch, who said they felt an obligation to speak out about the nuclear policy change because their profession brought nuclear weapons into the world 60 years ago.

They and other prominent physicists who signed the petition—which will be delivered to members of Congress, scientific professional societies and the news media—object to the new policy because it blurs the sharp line between nuclear weapons and conventional, chemical and biological weapons.

“While it has long been a U.S. policy to use nuclear weapons in order to respond to a nuclear attack,” said Hirsch, “the new policy allows the U.S. to use nuclear weapons against states that do not have nuclear weapons and for a host of new reasons, including rapid termination of a conflict on U.S. terms or to ensure success of the U.S. forces.”