Pentagons New Preemptive Nuclear Strike Plan

The US is considering rewriting its nuclear doctrine for the age of terrorism. A Pentagon planning document spells out America's willingness to use nuclear weapons in a preemptive strike if terrorists threaten the US or its allies with weapons of mass destruction. President Bush stated such a policy three years ago, and a draft of it is on the Pentagon's Web site. The draft says weapons of mass destruction are proliferating, increasing the possibility they might be used by even a non-state group. And it notes that could happen on purpose or through miscalculation. In such situations, the draft says deterrence might fail and the U-S would have to be prepared to use nuclear weapons if necessary. The draft notes that any such attack would require "explicit orders from the president."