Brute force and ignorance define US' nuclear review

The intention alone - to enhance the United States' nuclear deterrence, which is already the most powerful in the world - should be enough to raise the alarm, as it runs counter to the international commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

However, the real danger of its new nuclear policy lies in what it signals the US plans to do to enhance its nuclear capabilities. In its first Nuclear Posture Review in eight years, the Pentagon calls for, among other measures, the development of smaller "low-yield" nuclear weapons that can be used in response to what it calls "extreme circumstances", including nonnuclear attacks such as cyberattacks.

Whether because of its economic need to feed its military-industrial beast, or its genuine inability to see beyond force as a means of crisis resolution, the US seems intent on securing the bragging rights to not only the biggest, but also the smallest nuclear button, which promises to start a new nuclear arms race.