Disarmament Diplomacy

Issue No. 62, January - February 2002

News Review

Speculation over Possible Return to US Nuclear Testing

The future of the US nuclear testing moratorium, in place since 1992, was the subject of much discussion in early January. Officials were at pains to point out that the classified Nuclear Posture Review does not recommend a resumption of testing, although it does reportedly recommend that the Department of Energy increase its readiness to resume tests if directed. Under current guidelines, the Department would have up to two years to prepare the Nevada test site for a return to service.

On January 8, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters: "The President is observing the moratorium and has said so. ... [A]ny country that has nuclear weapons has to be respectful of the enormous lethality and power of those weapons, and has a responsibility to see that they are safe and reliable. To the extent that can be done without testing, clearly that is the preference. And that is why the President has concluded that, thus far, that is the case."

The following day, White House spokesperson Ari Fleischer observed: "The President has said that we will continue to adhere to the no-testing policy. If that would change in the future, we would never rule out the possible need to test to make certain that the stockpile, particularly as it's reduced, is reliable and safe. So he has not ruled out testing in the future, but there are no plans to do so."

Doubts about the longevity of the moratorium increased with the release on January 2 of a report by the Energy Department's Inspector General, Gregory H. Friedman, clearly implying a growing need for new tests. The report, submitted to Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham on December 21, detailed numerous problems with the current stockpile stewardship programme, including a high percentage of problems in warheads detected but not corrected within the time limit set by the Department. According to Friedman, over "two thirds of the 64 active investigations remained unresolved beyond the Department's one-year benchmark for completion... If these delays continue, the Department may not be in a position to unconditionally certify the aging nuclear weapons stockpile."

Note: on December 13, the US Energy Department conducted a subcritical nuclear test, Oboe 7, at the Nevada site, the fifteenth in a series of such tests, which involve no self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction or release of radioactive material, since 1997. Russia is also conducting an ongoing series of subcritical experiments.

Reports: US testing - officials conduct subcritical nuclear test, Global Security Newswire, December 18; Report finds shortcomings in Energy Dept. arms testing, Washington Post, January 3; US to seek options on new nuclear tests, Washington Post, January 8; Rumsfeld - nuke tests not recommended, Associated Press, January 8; Rumsfeld - US to keep nuclear test ban for now, Reuters, January 8; White House Report, January 9; Bush wants fast nuke test ability, Associated Press, January 9.