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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (264843)	5/27/2008 11:04:31 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 281500

What's one more bomb in the world? Country Suspected Strategic Nuclear Weapons Suspected Non-Strategic Nuclear Weapons Suspected Total Nuclear Weapons China 20 390 410 France 384 80 464 India 0 60+? 60+? Israel 0 200+? 200+? Pakistan 15-25? 0 15-25? Russia ~ 6,000 ~ 4,000 ~10,000 United Kingdom 185 0 185 United States 7,200 ~ 3,300 ~10,500 cdi.org Summary of Israel's Possible Nuclear Delivery Systems: Despite refusals to comment on the issue by the Israeli government, the Israelis clearly have a sizeable nuclear arsenal. There are two interesting loopholes in Israel's oft-repeated pledge never to be the first to introduce nuclear weapons into the region: The U.S. "introduced" weapons in the region in the 1950's when nuclear bombs were stored at Dharan, Saudi Arabia and at sea in the Mediteranean Sixth Fleet. Also, it is believed that Israel might not keep her nuclear weapons fully assembled -- keeping them "a screw away" from completion. The highly capable and well-equipped Israeli air force would more than suffice in the nuclear weapons delivery role, particularly with U.S.-supplied aircraft such as the F-4E and F-16. However, Israel has also produced ballistic missiles, against which its potential enemies have no defense. The Jericho I suffices for its immediate adversary of Syria, and the Jericho II brings the entire Middle East under Israel's range, particularly Iran. The Shavit space-launch booster could also be adapted to a long-range nuclear delivery role, and given the decision, Israel would be able to develop an intercontinental balltic missile. The Israeli arsenal will likely remain stable in the years to come. Though Israel signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, it will likely not reduce or eliminate its nuclear arsenal of 100+ weapons. The Arab-Israeli peace process would have to advance far greater than it currently has for nuclear disarmament to be considered by the Israelis. Strategic Nuclear Weapons: 0 Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons: 100+ Total Nuclear Weapons: 100+ Summary of U.S. Nuclear Arsenal: The U.S. is continuing with some modernization of the nuclear arsenal. Under the Pentagon's Nuclear Posture Review, approved in September 1994, the U.S. will retain 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines -- the four oldest ones will be retired, while the next four oldest, which were designed to fire the Trident I C-4 SLBM, will be backfitted to fire the larger Trident II D-5. Half the operational strategic deterrent force will be based on these Ohio SSBNs, which remain at sea 2/3 of the time. The Minuteman IIIs received an upgrade and overhaul to extend their lifespan, though the force was reduced from 530 to 500 at the end of FY 1998. Short-range attack missiles have been retired. The START II Treaty, slated for entry into force in 2003, will limit the strategic arsenal to 3,500 deployed warheads. This will consist of 14 Ohio-class submarines, each carrying 24 Trident II missiles, 500 Minuteman III missiles with a single warhead, 66 B-52Hs carrying nor more than 1,000 air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs), and advanced cruise missiles (ACM), and 20 B-2's carrying up to 16 gravity bombs each. But there will be also be 950 tactical weapons (largely gravity bombs and sea-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs)), and 2,500 reserve weapons and 2,500 warheads in inactive reserve. These could easily be uploaded onto the START II delivery systems to provide rapid "breakout" capability. The U.S. has resisted Russian overtures for a START III treaty, maintaining that START II should be implemented before negotiations begin. Strategic Nuclear Weapons: 7,300 Nonstrategic Nuclear Weapons: 4,700-11,700 Total Nuclear Weapons: 12,000-19,000