"Since the Cold War ended, we have withdrawn and dismantled our tactical maritime and airborne nuclear capabilities. We have terminated our nuclear-capable Lance missiles and artillery. We have the smallest nuclear capability of any recognized nuclear weapon state, accounting for less than 1% of the global inventory," Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, said last month that the West risked losing its moral authority in seeking to prevent nations such as Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
"They are told nuclear weapons are counterproductive because they do not protect your security," he said during a lecture at the London School of Economics. "But when they look to the big boys, what do they see? They see increasing reliance on nuclear weapons for security, they see nuclear weapons being continually modernized."
Former Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev said the government's "rush to deploy nuclear missiles whose service life would extend until 2050 is, to say the least, astonishing."
In a letter to The Times of London, he said Britain should postpone its decision on renewing the Trident program at least until the next review of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in 2010.
Wednesday's vote was a statement of policy direction that allows the government to begin the design and procurement process for new submarines. The government also is proposing to participate with the United States in a program to extend the life of the D5 Trident missile for an additional 20 years, through the 2040s, a plan that some lawmakers pointed to as the real reason for the Blair administration's haste in seeking a vote in Parliament.
"The Americans are extending the life of their D5 Trident missiles, and they want answers in 2007. They need to know whether we are willing to join them. There is no pressing military, political, technical or other reason to make the decision now," said John Barrett, a lawmaker with the Liberal Democratic party.
Blair's intention to step down as Prime Minister this summer also may have been a factor in pushing for the vote, some lawmakers suggested.
"In effect," said Nick Harvey, the Liberal Democrats' main spokesman on defense, "his objective is to continue to rule the Labor Party from beyond the political grave."
kim.murphy@latimes.com
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Britain's submarines
Britain's Parliament approved a program to replace the nation's fleet of four nuclear-armed Vanguard submarines. Here's a look at Britain's sub fleet:
Submarine class
*--* Vanguard Swiftsure Trafalgar No. of subs 4 6 7 Type SSBN SSN SSN Purpose Surveillance/ Pursue and attack Pursue and attack nuclear deterrent enemy subs, ships enemy subs, ships First launch 1992 1971 1981 Missiles Trident Tomahawk Tomahawk
*--*
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SSBN: ballistic missile sub; SSN: attack submarines
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Source: Military Periscope
