Coherence Matters

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Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen in What's Behind Bush's Nuclear Cuts (ACT, October 2004) highlighted why the cuts in the Russian and U.S. arsenals called for in the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT) are not getting substantial international recognition. Because the cuts are not irreversible and lack a verification mechanism, the form of the treaty makes the effort inconsistent with commitments made in the context of the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). In matters relating to international peace and security, clarity and consistency are needed to build consensus.

Consensus on the need to stop the spread of nuclear weapons has been growing since the end of …