Tilting at Arms Control Windmills or Something More Dangerous?
Brett Schaefer /
It’s no secret that President Obama has a great interest in nuclear arms control. In Prague last year, the President said, “So today, I state clearly and with conviction America’s commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.” President Obama chaired a session of the United Nations Security Council last September to shepherd to approval a resolution aimed at ridding the world of nuclear weapons. As for curbing nuclear proliferation and overseeing disarmament efforts, the President’s recently concluded Nuclear Security Summit relies heavily on voluntary cooperation, poorly verified international treaties, and the ability of international organizations to police and enforce agreements and prevent violations.
Although nuclear disarmament may be appealing in the abstract, the policy is very troubling in practice. In his devoted belief in the effectiveness of international arms control efforts, President Obama may be doing more than squandering the time and effort of America’s diplomats. He may actually be doing substantial harm to U.S. national security. The book ConUNdrum: The Limits of the United Nations and the Search for Alternatives, in which Heritage arms control expert Baker Spring wrote a chapter on international arms control efforts, explains why: (more…)