Torn US Nuclear Umbrella... Alliance Discontent Over Announced Nuclear Strategy Change

US Abandons Policy of No First Use of Nuclear Weapons Amid Ally Opposition
Allies Growing Uneasy Over Strategy Focused Solely on Nuclear Retaliation
"Could Send Wrong Message to China, Russia, and North Korea"

An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Minuteman 3 is being launched at the U.S. Air Force base in Vandenberg, California, USA.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Reports have emerged that the United States has informed its European and Asian allies that it will not include a no-first-use nuclear policy in its "Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) report." Instead, it is expected to include a sole purpose policy in the report, causing unease among allies who have relied on the U.S. nuclear umbrella policy.

On the 9th (local time), a major foreign news outlet reported that as concerns grew that the new U.S. nuclear strategy would weaken America's deterrence against nuclear threats from China and Russia, and as allies became unsettled, the U.S. decided not to adopt a no-first-use policy, reassuring its allies.

The foreign media added that U.S. allies welcomed this decision.

According to the foreign media, while the no-first-use policy was dropped during discussions, the U.S. notified that it would push forward with the sole purpose policy despite opposition from its allies.

The White House is scheduled to hold a cabinet meeting on the 10th to discuss the Nuclear Posture Review report, which is expected to be released early next month.

President Biden had announced the introduction of a new nuclear strategy as part of his election pledge last year.

There are growing voices of concern regarding the U.S. stance. Former Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono warned in an interview with the Heritage Foundation that "it could send the wrong message to China and North Korea."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Patty Jane Geller, a nuclear expert at the Heritage Foundation, questioned, "Why weaken deterrence now when China is adding so many nuclear weapons?"

Concerns are also being raised within U.S. political circles. A congressional aide warned, "If the U.S. revises its nuclear strategy while Russian forces are reinforcing troops to pressure Ukraine, it could send the wrong message to both allies and Russian President Vladimir Putin."

The concerns of U.S. allies are closely related to recent developments. China continues to militarily threaten Taiwan daily, Russia is reinforcing its forces around Ukraine and increasing the possibility of invasion, and North Korea has cut off talks with the U.S., continues missile development, and threatens South Korea and Japan.

Major foreign media also reported that changes in the U.S. nuclear strategy raise concerns that the nuclear umbrella provided to Asian and European allies could be weakened.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.