UNILATERAL SURRENDER

Posted at 7:48 a.m. ET

We've visited this subject before, but it bears emphasis again: Many don't realize that our nuclear weapons, the heart of our deterrent, are aging and becoming obsolete, while other nations forge ahead with modernization.  The Washington Post reports on a dilemma facing President-elect Obama, and the opinions of one especially nutty California congresswoman who's causing all kinds of trouble.

The leader of the U.S. Strategic Command said yesterday that "time is not on our side" to modernize the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile, particularly as China and Russia upgrade their nuclear warheads and delivery systems.

"The path of inaction is a path leading toward nuclear disarmament. . . . The time to act is now," Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton told an audience of government, military and civilian arms experts attending the Nuclear Deterrence Summit in Washington.

Problem is, to some Americans nuclear disarmament is just fine.  Isn't that what the "good" people do?

Chilton said he was concerned that Congress had effectively killed the Bush administration's Reliable Replacement Warhead program, which is designed to provide a modern, safer warhead with no new capabilities before the end of this decade. Expressing concern that the nation's Cold War stockpile is aging, Chilton said that "a reliable [nuclear] inventory supports nonproliferation goals."

The Dem California congresswoman, Ellen O. Tauscher, weighs in.  Here it comes:

Tauscher, whose California district is the site of one of the nation's leading nuclear weapons labs, became a leader in Congress's effort to eliminate the RRW program. She said the Obama administration should "take the high ground" internationally by developing a comprehensive nuclear weapons policy that includes ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, extending the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia and modernizing a sharply reduced warhead stockpile.

Oh, just ducky, Ellen.  Let's take that high road...and be the only one who does.  That'll sure be a gift for our children.

The key phrase is "...whose California district is the site of one of the nation's leading nuclear weapons labs..."  She represents the university crowd out there.  You know, anthropology and such.  By the way, she's considered a moderate among California Democrats.

She called on the United States to boost funding for the International Atomic Energy Agency and prepare a multilateral program to be presented at the 2010 U.N. review of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Increase funding for what?  The IAEA?  Aren't those the worthies who've been so effective in Iran?  Aren't they led by that ElBaradei chap, who spends his time attacking the U.S.?  More money?  Maybe we should raise taxes for that purpose.

The RRW program, Tauscher said, was "sound" because it was designed "to extend the life of the stockpile while adding security and safety features." It failed before Congress, she said, because it was "poorly presented." In its place, Tauscher proposed upgrading a tested warhead design while making clear it would have a lower yield than older weapons and would use less-toxic components and contain safety elements to prevent its use by terrorists.

Less toxic components?  Does she understand what we're talking about here? 

And she tells us the program failed before Congress because it was "poorly presented."  Are members of Congress that childish?  Is it the show that counts?  It failed because her party just wasn't that interested.

In a Foreign Affairs article released yesterday, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates stressed the need for a strong nuclear deterrent and expressed support for the RRW. "As long as other nations possess the bomb and the means to deliver it," Gates wrote, "the United States must maintain a credible strategic deterrent. . . . Congress needs to do its part by funding the Reliable Replacement Warhead Program -- for safety, for security, and for a more reliable deterrent."

That says it.  At least he's staying on as defense secretary.  We could do a lot worse. 

December 5, 2008.