19
April 2010
Past Event
The Nuclear Posture Review: Challenges and Considerations

The Nuclear Posture Review: Challenges and Considerations

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
April 19, 2010
Default Event Image
19
April 2010
Past Event

1015 15th Street, N.W., 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Speakers:
Richard Weitz,

Hudson Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Political-Military Analysis

Andrew Semmel,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Nuclear Nonproliferation, 2003-2008

Morton Halperin,

Commissioner, Congressional Strategic Posture Commission, 2008-2009

Walter Slocombe,

Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, 1994-2001

The Obama administration recently released its first Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), a comprehensive assessment of U.S. nuclear forces and doctrine. The document synthesized the administration's goals related to nuclear arms control, nonproliferation, and revitalizing the U.S. nuclear infrastructure.

Hudson Institute and the Partnership for a Secure America held a bipartisan panel of former officials that assessed the new NPR and answered questions about its implications for U.S. security. How will the NPR affect the challenges of Iran and North Korea to the global nuclear nonproliferation regime? What does it tell us about the future of ballistic missile defense and the direction of U.S.-Russian arms control? What implications will Congress and foreign governments draw from the NPR as they look for indications of future U.S. nuclear policies?

The panelists discussed the basic principles of the most recent NPR as well as some challenges toward realizing its objectives. According to the Obama administration, the main goals in its NPR include preventing nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism; reducing the role of nuclear weapons; maintaining effective strategic deterrence and stability at lower nuclear force levels; strengthening reassurance of U.S. allies and
partners; and sustaining a safe, secure and effective nuclear arsenal. In essence, the Obama NPR reduces the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. security strategy, strengthens U.S. negative security assurances for countries that comply with their nuclear nonproliferation obligations, and commits the United States not to test nuclear weapons,
not to develop new nuclear weapons, and not to seek new missions or capabilities for existing nuclear weapons. The NPR states that the United States will maintain a safe secure, and effective nuclear deterrent for as long as nuclear weapons exist in the world, but it identifies arms control measures that could help achieve further reductions in global
nuclear weapons stockpiles and ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again.

Related Events
07
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Understanding China’s Political and Institutional Foundations: A Conversation with Chenggang Xu
Featured Speakers:
Professor Chenggang Xu
Getty Images
07
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Understanding China’s Political and Institutional Foundations: A Conversation with Chenggang Xu

Join Dr. Miles Yu, senior fellow and director of Hudson’s China Center, for a conversation with Professor Xu on why misunderstanding China’s political order may create critical strategic risks for the US amid intensifying geopolitical rivalry.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Professor Chenggang Xu
08
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Relearning Great Power Diplomacy: A Conversation with Wess Mitchell
Featured Speakers:
Wess Mitchell
A detail photo of “A Peace Conference at the Quai d'Orsay” by William Orpen. (Wikimedia Commons)
08
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Relearning Great Power Diplomacy: A Conversation with Wess Mitchell

Join Hudson’s Peter Rough for a discussion with Wess Mitchell on the future of great power diplomacy.

A detail photo of “A Peace Conference at the Quai d'Orsay” by William Orpen. (Wikimedia Commons)
Featured Speakers:
Wess Mitchell
15
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Vanguard of Manufacturing: Fortifying US National Security
Featured Speakers:
John Maslin
Austin Grey
Hon. Peter J. F. Meijer
Patrick Hunt
Julius Krein
Moderator:
Getty Images
15
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Vanguard of Manufacturing: Fortifying US National Security

Join Hudson Institute for a conference on the future of America’s industrial base.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
John Maslin
Austin Grey
Hon. Peter J. F. Meijer
Patrick Hunt
Julius Krein
Moderator:
16
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
CCP Committee Chairman John Moolenaar on the State of US-China Relations
Featured Speakers:
Congressman John Moolenaar
Getty Images
16
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
CCP Committee Chairman John Moolenaar on the State of US-China Relations

Congressman John Moolenaar (R-MI), chairman of the House Select Committee on the CCP, will join Hudson Senior Fellow David Feith to discuss how Washington should approach the US-China relationship in an era of rising geopolitical competition.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Congressman John Moolenaar