Uncle Sam wants more nukes

2003-12-02 07:36

Washington - US President George W Bush on Monday put his stamp of approval on a bill allocating millions of dollars for research into new types of nuclear weapons - and for bolstering readiness at the Nevada nuclear test site.

White House spokesperson Scott McClellan said Bush had signed into law the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act of 2004 that contains funds for the department of energy and its nuclear programs.

The measure includes $7.5m to study the possibility of developing so-called "bunker-busting" nuclear bombs officials say would enhance America's ability to destroy underground command and control centres and hidden arms depots.

An additional $6m has been earmarked to study low-yield nuclear weapons that some experts believe could be useful in high-precision strikes.

Experts say a five-kiloton or smaller nuclear explosive detonated, for example, right on a missile silo door will vaporise both the door and the missile inside.

The measures also contains $24.9m to heighten readiness at the Nevada test site to enable it to conduct a nuclear test 24 months after the White House decides to do so.

The administration had been insisting on an 18-month readiness window, down from the current 36 months.

But Congress chose to tamp down the request in the face of vocal opposition from disarmament experts, who have interpreted it as a sign of the administration's weakening determination to maintain a moratorium on nuclear tests.

Overall, Congress allocated $6.3bn for nuclear weapon activities in fiscal 2004 - $303m more than last year, but $94m below Bush's request.

- AFP