THE US and Russia brokered a deal on 6 July to limit their 鈥渟trategic鈥� or long-range nuclear warheads. The trouble is the agreement leaves other crucial nuclear weapons untouched.
Each nation has agreed to limit the number of strategic nuclear warheads deployed to between 1500 and 1675 鈥� down from the 2200 allowed under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires on 5 December 2009.
鈥淓ach nation has agreed to limit the strategic nuclear warheads they deploy to between 1500 and 1675鈥�
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Tactical nuclear weapons aren鈥檛 mentioned, however. These are short-range and typically pack less explosive power since they are meant to bring overwhelming force to the battlefield rather than blow up a city, or underground command centres.
They are likely to be at the centre of further attempts at reduction 鈥� Barack Obama has said he wants to move towards a nuclear weapon-free world.
Short-range nuclear missiles are smaller and easier to hide so countries would have to agree to more intrusive inspections to comply with any future reductions, says Hans Kristensen of the in Washington DC.
One incentive for both countries to get rid of them is that their small size also makes them easier to transport, putting them at greater risk of being stolen by terrorists, Kristensen says. 鈥淵ou could put these things in the back of a pickup truck and drive away with them.鈥�