The Obama Administration: Caught between Disarmament and Deterrence

Since his inauguration in January 2009, President Barack Obama has invested substantial effort and political capital to advance an ambitious nuclear disarmament agenda. Well intended though the administration may be, some of its goals appear to be at odds with one another. In the related realms of disarmament and deterrence, such apparent inconsistencies can mean the difference between success and failure. This article will explore some of the Obama administration’s disarmament policy contradictions, their implications for deterrence, and what might be done to resolve them.