Funds for Atomic Bomb Research Cut From Spending Bill

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Funds for Atomic Bomb Research Cut From Spending Bill

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5554-2004Nov22.html

By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 23, 2004; Page A06

Congress has eliminated the financing of research supported by
President Bush into a new generation of nuclear weapons, including
investigations into low-yield atomic bombs and an earth-penetrating
warhead that could destroy weapons bunkers deep underground.

The Bush administration called in 2002 for exploring new nuclear
weapons that could deter a wide range of threats, including possible
development of a warhead that could go after hardened, deeply buried
targets, or lower-power bombs that could be used to destroy chemical
or biological stockpiles without contaminating a wide area.

But research on those programs was dropped from the $388 billion
government-wide spending bill adopted Saturday, a rare instance in
which the Republican-controlled Congress has gone against the
president. The move slowly came to light over the weekend as details
of the extensive measure became clear.

Dropping the programs was praised by arms-control advocates and some
members of Congress who tried unsuccessfully for several years to kill
them. These opponents argued that such research by the United States
could trigger a new arms race, and that the existence of lower-yield
weapons -- sometimes called "mini-nukes" -- would ultimately increase
the likelihood of war.

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1. Duplicate topic--Please continue discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1013476