U.S. Nuclear Posture Review 2010 & 2018: A Comparative Study

Research Article

Abstract

The Trump administration has argued that contemporary international environment presents diverse threats to the national security of the United States. Keeping in view these strategic changes, President Trump in his 2018 Nuclear Review Posture (NPR) claimed qualitative and quantitative enhancement of his country’s nuclear arsenals. Nuclear buildup and the confrontational policy of Washington will encourage a similar attitude in other capitals around the world. It will also question the political will behind non-proliferation and global nuclear disarmament. By comparing the 2018 NPR with that of 2010, this article describes changes in the US nuclear force structure, its nuclear strategies, and global commitments. The article also deliberates on the impact of President Trump’s nuclear policy on the overall global strategic environment. The study is descriptive and analytical and covers three basic elements of research; description, exploration, and prescription. For this purpose, secondary sources like books, journal articles, newspaper articles, and accessible official websites have been utilized. The article concludes that the revised NPR will negatively impact the strategic stability of the international system.