By Miya Tanaka,
The U.S. administration of President Joe Biden said Thursday it will consider using nuclear weapons only in "extreme circumstances," leaving room for resorting to the destructive armament against both nuclear and non-nuclear attacks.
The Nuclear Posture Review, released for the first time since 2018, underscored the difficulty the Biden administration faces in pursuing a more restrictive nuclear declaratory policy amid China's military buildup, Russia's war on Ukraine and North Korea's ongoing weapons development.
An "unacceptable level of risk in light of the range of non-nuclear capabilities being developed and fielded by competitors" has prevented the government from taking steps such as declaring that the "sole purpose" of U.S. nuclear forces is to deter or respond to nuclear attacks, the document said.
The Biden administration affirmed in the 25-page report its continuing commitment to "strong and credible" extended deterrence, referring to U.S. protection promised to allies such as Japan against potential adversaries, including through its nuclear arsenal.
At the same time, the document reported the cancellation of the nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missile program that was pursued under the previous administration of President Donald Trump, and the retirement of the B83 megaton-class nuclear bomb, known among experts as the "relic of the Cold War."
Biden, who took office in January last year, has committed to seeking to reduce the role of nuclear arms, raising expectations among anti-nuclear advocates over progress toward a world without such weapons.
The latest Nuclear Posture Review, which serves as guidelines for American nuclear policy for the coming years, cited a reduction in the role of nuclear weapons as "a key goal" but acknowledged their irreplaceable role.
"For the foreseeable future, nuclear weapons will continue to provide unique deterrence effects that no other element of U.S. military power can replace."
It said "the fundamental role" of nuclear weapons is to deter nuclear attack, and that "the United States would only consider the use of nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances to defend the vital interests" of the country, its allies and partners.
The administration said it reached the conclusion following a "thorough" review over a broad range of options for its nuclear declaratory policy, including the "sole purpose" policy and a "no first use" policy, which would limit the U.S. use of nuclear weapons to only in response to nuclear attacks on itself or allies.
"Some allies and partners are particularly vulnerable to attacks with non-nuclear means that could produce devastating effects," the review said. "We retain the goal of moving toward a sole purpose declaration and we will work with our allies and partners to identify concrete steps that would allow us to do so."
The U.S. nuclear declaratory policy has centered on what is known as strategic ambiguity regarding the exact circumstances that might lead to a nuclear response, though efforts have been seen to offer clarification.
Former President Barack Obama, who pledged in 2009 to pursue a world free of nuclear weapons, considered adopting a "no first use" policy. But his administration gave up the idea in the face of objections from some allies including Japan.
With North Korea feared to be preparing its seventh nuclear test, its first since 2017, the Biden administration said that any nuclear attack by Pyongyang will be met with "dire consequences" and that "there is no scenario in which the Kim (Jong Un) regime could employ nuclear weapons and survive."
The 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, compiled under the Trump administration, also contained similar warnings to North Korea.
The latest Nuclear Posture Review said North Korea is "not a rival on the same scale" as China and Russia, but still poses "a persistent threat and growing danger" to the U.S. homeland and the Indo-Pacific as it hones its nuclear, ballistic missile and non-nuclear capabilities, including its chemical weapon stockpile.
On China, the Biden administration said Beijing has "embarked on an ambitious expansion" of its nuclear forces and likely intends to possess at least 1,000 deliverable warheads by the end of the decade.
The trajectory of such efforts points to "a large, diverse nuclear arsenal with a high degree of survivability, reliability and effectiveness," providing China with options before and during a crisis or conflict to leverage nuclear weapons for "coercive purposes," the document said.
Russia's invasion of its neighbor has drawn renewed attention to Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island that Beijing views as its own. Taiwan is seen a potential military flashpoint that could draw the United States into conflict with China.
The Biden administration said it recognizes the "growing concerns" among allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific about nuclear and missile development in China, North Korea and Russia.
For stronger nuclear deterrence, the United States will enhance consultations with allies such as Japan, South Korea and Australia on the issue, while continuing to field "flexible" nuclear forces suited to deterring regional nuclear conflict, according to the new Nuclear Posture Review.
"We will work with allies and partners to identify opportunities to increase the visibility of U.S. strategic assets to the region as a demonstration of U.S. resolve and commitment, including ballistic missile submarine port visits and strategic bomber missions," it said.
The Defense Department also released its National Defense Strategy, reaffirming the Biden administration's view that China remains the "most consequential strategic competitor for the coming decades," as well as its Missile Defense Review, which highlighted the importance of "collaborative" regional air and missile defense efforts in the Indo-Pacific.
