In short, despite the welcome recognition of the need for credible sub-strategic nuclear deterrent forces for the foreseeable future, the actual decisions taken at the NATO summit set the stage for inaction on replacement of obsolescing systems and for new negotiations that will make it problematic even to retain the aging ones now deployed.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

"The UN Security Council seat, our membership of the European Union, our leadership in Nato, our nuclear deterrent, our strong armed forces, they are all things that belong to the whole of the United Kingdom, " he said.

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It will also require the United States to make substantial additional investments in its nuclear forces in order to give its smaller deterrent arsenal the redundancy and military effectiveness that it has at present.

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