PONI Live Debate- U.S. No First Use

"Resolved: The United States should adopt a no first use nuclear policy."

Featuring

Mr. Walt Slocombe, former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

and

Mr. Jack Mendelsohn, former Deputy Director of the Arms Control Association

The Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) is pleased to invite you to a live debate about whether or not the United States should adopt a "no first use" nuclear policy. No first use is a policy in which a state refrains from the use of nuclear weapons as a means of warfare or aggression unless the state is first attacked using nuclear weapons. The United State's current nuclear weapons policy is outlined in the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review. The five core objectives for U.S. nuclear policy include:

1. Preventing nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism;
2. Reducing the role of U.S. nuclear weapons in U.S. national security strategy;
3. Maintaining strategic deterrence and stability at reduced nuclear force levels;
4. Strengthening regional deterrence and reassuring U.S. allies and partners; and
5. Sustaining a safe, secure, and effective nuclear arsenal.

Does a no first use nuclear policy align with the nuclear posture and strategic interests of the United States? Mr. Walt Slocombe and Mr. Jack Mendelsohn will debate whether or not the U.S. should adopt a no first use nuclear policy at the next PONI Live Debate.

Please join us on September 10 for what promises to be an exiting debate on a crucial issue. The event will be held on the Second Floor Hess Room of CSIS, located at 1616 Rhode Island Avenue NW. A reception will begin at 6pm, followed by the debate from 6:30pm-8pm. Sign up using the registration link on the right side of this page.

The debate will also be webcast live as a "webinar." Viewers can ask questions of the debaters in real-time by emailing SMinot@csis.org. Tune into the wesite on September 10 for the livestream.