President Obama 'to slash America's nuclear arsenal by thousands'

A major rethink of America's nuclear strategy could mean the end of production of bunkerbusters, such as this 5000lb GBU-37 at a military base in Missouri

President Obama is set to announce plans for drastic reductions in America's nuclear arsenal.

Officials say thousands of weapons would be cut from their stockpile as part of a major rethink on U.S. nuclear strategy.

It is understood that the review would lead to America halting production of any new weapons with nuclear capability.
These include 'bunkerbuster' bombs that were ordered into development by the Bush administration.

Nuclear weapons at U.S. bases in Europe, including Germany, Belgium, Turkey, the Netherlands and Italy, could also be withdrawn.

America has not confirmed or denied whether bases in Britain are equipped with nuclear weapons.
Another part of the review would allow Russia and China access to military bases in the U.S. to show that nuclear weapons are not in use.

However one suggestion under discussion, that the U.S. declares it would never use nuclear weapons, has been ruled out by the president, who has spoken before of his dream of a world free from nuclear weapons.

Mr Obama's new strategy, which some right-wing critics have described as 'naive and dangerous', will be contained in a document called the Nuclear Posture Review.

Senior administration officials said it would cancel several initiatives set in motion by former president George W Bush, most notably the development of 'bunker busters' which Pentagon chiefs said could be used to strike hidden targets, such as the nuclear facilities in North Korea and Iran.

Aides said Mr Obama believes he cannot urge other countries not to seek new weapons while the U.S. continues its own developments.