In effect, more nuclear weapons states today threaten to use nuclear weapons in non-nuclear conflicts than was the case during the Cold War.

NPR: Nuclear Weapons Gain Importance for Regional Powers

But many systems that were not deemed vital during a nuclear war, such as non-strategic command and control, were left unprotected.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

Sandia was born near Albuquerque soon after the Second World War and became our premier facility for developing the non-nuclear components of our nuclear weapons program.

WHITEHOUSE: VP Biden: The Path to Nuclear Security

Mr Olmert, meanwhile, accused Iran of instructing Mr Nasrallah to start a war to distract world attention from Iran's apparent effort to flout the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and build a nuclear bomb.

ECONOMIST: The crisis in Lebanon, Israel and Palestine: Ending will be harder | The

Since then, the North has kicked out U.N. nuclear inspectors, pulled out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, continued to warn it might drop out of an armistice that stopped the 1953 Korean War and has resume missile test firings.

CNN: N. Korean threat to quit armistice