ABSTRACT
As the Clinton presidency drew to a close the nuclear weapons policy community expressed significant concern at the lack of senior-level political and military attention paid to American nuclear weapons under Clinton. Nuclear weapons policy was characterised as drifting with no long-term sense of direction and with insufficient resources.1 A number of reports recommended a much greater reorientation of nuclear weapons policy towards WMD-armed ‘rogue’ states, including new types of nuclear weapons, a reduction in nuclear force levels whilst maintaining a robust, modern and survivable counter-force nuclear arsenal, deployment of missile defences and strategic conventional capabilities to bolster deterrence and a renewed commitment to revitalising the nuclear weapons production complex. America was going to remain the pre-eminent global military power and this required superior nuclear forces postured to deter and defeat any WMD-armed adversary.2
