April 7, 2010
Washington, April 6 (Jiji Press)--The U.S. government said Tuesday that its decision to retire its Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads will not affect the U.S. deterrence for its allies.
In the Nuclear Posture Review report unveiled the same day, the government of President Barack Obama said that the Tomahawk missiles will be eliminated, noting that they serve a "redundant purpose in the U.S. nuclear stockpile.
But the report said that the Tomahawk missiles' deterrence and assurance roles "can be adequately substituted" by submarine-launched ballistic missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The United States "remains committed to providing a credible extended deterrence posture and capabilities" to its allies, it said. The NPR sets the United States' nuclear policy, strategies and capabilities, and its military posture for the next five to 10 years.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, who was in office for about a year until September 2009, was believed to have called on the United States to continue possessing the Tomahawk missiles in order to maintain its deterrence against North Korea and China.
(2010/04/07-11:22)
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