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7. Preventing Nuclear Proliferation and Advancing Disarmament

Reducing Global Nuclear Risks Through Diplomacy and Arms Control​

The existence and potential proliferation of nuclear weapons pose an existential threat to humanity. Preventing the spread of these weapons to new state or non-state actors, reducing existing arsenals, and ultimately working towards a world free of nuclear weapons must be a central pillar of U.S. foreign and security policy. Relying solely on deterrence carries inherent risks of miscalculation and escalation.

Our platform advocates for a renewed U.S. commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament through diplomacy, strengthening international treaties and verification regimes, and pursuing arms control agreements with other nuclear powers.

Key Strategies for Non-Proliferation and Disarmament:​

  1. Strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT):

    • Reaffirm commitment to all three pillars of the NPT: non-proliferation, disarmament, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
    • Lead efforts to strengthen the NPT review process and achieve consensus on concrete steps towards disarmament by nuclear-weapon states, as obligated under Article VI of the treaty.
    • Support the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in its crucial role of verifying compliance with non-proliferation commitments through safeguards agreements and inspections.

  2. Pursue Arms Control with Nuclear Powers:

    • Engage Russia in negotiations for a successor agreement to New START, aiming for further verifiable reductions in strategic nuclear arsenals and potentially including new types of weapons.
    • Seek to bring China into strategic stability dialogues and future arms control frameworks, promoting transparency and reducing risks associated with its growing nuclear capabilities.
    • Explore possibilities for multilateral arms control agreements involving other nuclear-armed states.

  3. Prevent Proliferation to New States:

    • Utilize robust diplomacy, economic incentives, security assurances, and, where necessary, multilateral sanctions to prevent additional countries from acquiring nuclear weapons.
    • Strengthen regional non-proliferation efforts and support the establishment of new nuclear-weapon-free zones.
    • Address proliferation challenges posed by countries like North Korea and Iran through sustained, principled diplomacy aimed at verifiable denuclearization, working closely with regional partners and international institutions.

  4. Secure Nuclear Materials:

    • Lead global efforts to secure vulnerable nuclear weapons-usable materials (highly enriched uranium and plutonium) worldwide to prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorists or non-state actors.
    • Strengthen international cooperation on nuclear security best practices and support initiatives like the Nuclear Security Summit process.

  5. Reduce the Role of Nuclear Weapons in Security Strategies:

    • Adopt policies that reduce the role and salience of nuclear weapons in U.S. national security strategy. Commit to a "sole purpose" or "no first use" nuclear posture to reduce the risk of nuclear war.
    • Cancel plans for unnecessary or destabilizing new nuclear weapons systems.

  6. Promote Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT):

    • Pursue U.S. ratification of the CTBT and encourage remaining states to ratify, bringing the treaty into legal force to establish a global, verifiable ban on nuclear explosive testing. Maintain the U.S. moratorium on nuclear testing in the interim.

Conclusion:​

Reducing the threat posed by nuclear weapons requires persistent diplomatic engagement, strong international cooperation, and a clear commitment to non-proliferation and eventual disarmament. By strengthening the NPT, pursuing arms control, preventing new states from acquiring nuclear weapons, securing nuclear materials, reducing the role of nuclear weapons in strategy, and working towards a global test ban, the United States can lead efforts to make the world safer from the catastrophic consequences of nuclear war.