Overview
- A Pentagon-led review, reported Wednesday, is weighing a greater role for shorter-range tactical nuclear weapons in regional conflicts instead of relying mainly on long-range strategic missiles.
- The effort is being driven by policy chief Elbridge Colby and is said to be intended to strengthen extended deterrence for U.S. allies by broadening the president's crisis options.
- Senior Defense Department officials told reporters the change would provide more ‘credible’ and usable options designed to avoid an all-or-nothing strategic response.
- The plan has drawn immediate pushback from Capitol Hill and outside experts who warn that normalizing tactical options could make nuclear use more thinkable and lower the threshold for employment.
- No formal policy decision, force posture change, or deployments have been announced and any shift would touch off complex risks because tactical warheads are aimed at military targets and nuclear arms have not been used in combat since 1945.