BASIC has submitted a brief to the US Strategic Posture Review Commission. Here is an excerpt from the Executive Summary:
The United States should undertake a series of unilateral and multilateral actions that will improve US security and demonstrate its commitment to progress in nuclear disarmament, which will reinforce international support for non-proliferation. Some of these unilateral measures include foregoing the production of new nuclear weapons designs, declaring a no-first use policy, removing tactical nuclear weapons from Europe, and ratifying the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty.
Furthermore, a future president looking to provide leadership in global nuclear arms control and disarmament is likely to find strong support from his closest allies, who have made stronger declarations and movements within the past two years. If the next administration can rapidly take the series of prescribed unilateral measures and renew multilateral commitments, then US leaders will be in a better position to reinvigorate arms control and other bi-lateral security relations with Russia, which remains the United States’ most important strategic partner for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, notwithstanding the current dispute over spheres of influence.
Read the submission, then, post your comments. We would like to hear what you think.
Other organizations, including the Lexington Institute and the Heritage Foundation, have also published their perspectives for the Commission. Please let us know if you come across others.