New US nuke policy could spark fresh weapons race

It seems US President Donald Trump is unshakable in his determination to nullify the legacies of his predecessor Barack Obama. After the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and the 2015 Paris climate accord, another Obama legacy with global significance - his push for a "nuclear-free world" - also looks shaky.

Though the Trump administration is scheduled to unveil its nuclear strategy in February, the draft of the new Nuclear Posture Review, which was leaked to the US media last month, has already generated waves, sending an unmistakable message to the outside world that the United States, instead of reducing the role of its nuclear deterrence, will seek to expand its nuclear capabilities.

In his first State of the Union address on Tuesday, Trump made no attempt to hide this strategic intention, declaring that the US needs unmatched military power and must modernize and rebuild its nuclear arsenal.