While the United States has signed on to reduce its nuclear arsenal, the U.S. sea-based missile force remains crucial in a world where deterrence still matters.
In Prague in April 2009, President Barack Obama announced that the United States would pursue a world without nuclear weapons, but he included an important caveat: As long as nuclear weapons exist, the United States will maintain a safe, secure, and effective nuclear arsenal. 1 The President acknowledged that the security conditions that would allow for the United States to safely eliminate its nuclear weapons are unlikely to occur in his lifetime, implying that nuclear weapons will play a critical role in ensuring U.S. national security for decades to come.
