Cong. TRENT FRANKS: Obama Consideration of Up to 80% Cut in Nuclear Weapons Beyond Reckless

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ben Carnes or Kate Middleton
February 14, 2012
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Obama Consideration of Up to 80% Cut in Nuclear Weapons Beyond Reckless

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and Subcommittees on both Emerging Threats and Strategic Forces tonight responded to the Obama administration's consideration of sharp new cuts to the U.S. nuclear force, including a reduction of up to 80 percent in the number of deployed weapons:

"To consider unilaterally drawing down our nuclear inventory beyond
levels not seen since 1950, even while China, Russia, Iran, and other countries alike are striving to increase their nuclear capabilities is beyond reckless; it is ludicrous. Not only is Mr. Obama creating unnecessary and grave vulnerabilities to our national security, he is also creating an environment that encourages global proliferation.

"Many of our allies depend on our nuclear capability for their security. If these assurances are lost, not only will the number of nuclear states multiply, but our control over when, where, and how nuclear weapons are used will diminish exponentially. This President is playing Russian roulette with our national security, only he does
not know and/or he does not care that the gun is fully loaded."

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Congressman Franks is serving his fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives and is a member of the Judiciary Committee, where he serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and a member of the Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law. He is also a member of the Armed Services Committee, where he serves on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee and the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities.