Obama says new nuclear strategy is ’significant step’ toward reducing role of atomic arms

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Obama calls nuclear strategy ’significant step’

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says a new U.S. defense policy is “a significant step forward” in reducing the nuclear weapon role in security strategy and will ease the global threat posed by these arms.

At the same time, he said in a statement Tuesday that the new strategy will maintain “a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent” for the United States as long as nuclear weapons exist in the world.

Said Obama: “Our national security and that of our allies and partners can be increasingly defended by America’s unsurpassed conventional military capabilities and strong missile defenses.” He pledged that the U.S. will not conduct nuclear testing, develop new nuclear warheads or pursue new nuclear weapon capabilities.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is altering its decades-old nuclear weapons policy to reduce the role and number of such weapons. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the change will pave the way toward an eventual nuclear-free world.

The United States, the only nation to ever unleash an atomic bomb during war, would reduce the number of potential U.S. nuclear targets and restrict the circumstances under which strategic weapons could be used.

Officials said the new policy would not compromise the security of the United States or its allies. And Gates said the U.S. would continue to develop missile defense systems. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. “will cooperate with partners worldwide” to combat nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism.