nuclear-news

A major nuclear summit in Washington DC is discussing the threat of terrorism and North Korea.

But it was Mr Trump’s comments raising the prospect of returning fire with a nuke if the Islamic State group was to attack the US that raised concerns.

“I’m afraid this kind of talk in an election is bluntly irresponsible and is detrimental to our and all of our allies’ security posture,” US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said.

The Republican frontrunner also declared that, as president, he would withdraw troops from South Korea and Japan and allow those two countries, as well as others like Saudi Arabia, to develop nukes.

It drew a scathing rebuke from the US deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes. The entire premise of American foreign policy as it relates to nuclear weapons for the last 70 years has been focused on preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons,” said Mr Rhodes, one of President Barack Obama’s closest aides.

“That has been the position of bipartisan administrations, of everybody who has occupied the Oval Office.

“It would be catastrophic for the United States to shift its position and indicate that we somehow support the proliferation of nuclear weapons.”……….http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-01/donald-trump-white-house-says-nuclear-policy-catastrophic/7290854