NY Times, March lst, White House is Rethinking Nuclear Policy, Shanker, Sanger

"Aides to President Obama say he will permanently reduce arsenal by thousands of weapons"

NEEDED FIRST A NUCLEAR POSTURE REVIEW

No President should take this type of unilateral disarmament capriciously or arbitrarily without a complete Nuclear Posture Review done by the pentagon along with many additional national security experts. Although NPR's are usually kept secret President's Clinton and Bush both had their NPR's which according to leaks apparently arrived at similar conclusions. This type of study factors into the equation among other things, what the nation's needs will be for years in light of foreign governments and their military development plans.

This type of suggested action far exceeds a White House Staff exercise. One would hope that a President would realize the importance of contemplating this action only after serious evaluation of future national security needs.

Many Americans continue to be amazed at the administration's efforts to get voters focus off the need for job restoration. In spite of rhetoric to the contrary the jobs priority is proving to be only a minor focus of White House energy. With perhaps as many as 22 million Americans out of work and the nation's indebtedness growing each minute, I believe jobs are a national security issue.

If the administration continues its vacillation on unemployment in all sectors of the country, they will begin to lose their right to govern come the elections of 2010 and 2012. Should they unilaterally reduce the nuclear stockpile without a NPR and arduous study, their legacy will be one of incompetence. If this disarming action is taken without the needed NPR, we can only hope that rogue nations will not take advantage of the President's weakness. After all, to provide for the national defense is a constitutional presidential requirement.

Dr. Alan Phillips