Calls to upload reserve strategic warheads to existing U.S. delivery systems and for large future expansions of U.S. strategic forces are major impediments to the negotiation of a follow-on to the 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. There are alternatives to a strategic forces build-up to achieve the foreign policy goals of the United States.

Today, the Senate will vote on – and should approve – joint resolutions of disapproval that would block the Trump Administration’s proposed sales of 1,000-pound bombs, joint direct attack munitions (JDAMs), automatic rifles, and related support to the government of Israel.

The U.S. decision to join Israel’s strikes on Iran’s safeguarded nuclear facilities while negotiations on a nuclear agreement were ongoing dealt a serious blow to U.S. efforts to constrain Iran’s nuclear program. The premature use of force set back Iran’s nuclear program temporarily, but risks pushing Tehran closer to nuclear weapons in the long term. The U.S. strikes also complicate the diplomatic efforts that are still necessary to reach an effective, verifiable nuclear deal.