Obama Budget Seeks More Money for Nuclear Weapons Research

President Barack Obama is seeking increased funding for nuclear weapons research and security next year, even as his administration has pledged to reduce the world's stockpile of nuclear arms.
The administration on Monday asked Congress for more than $7 billion for activities related to nuclear weapons in the budget of the National Nuclear Security Administration, an increase of $624 million from the 2010 fiscal year. NNSA Administrator Thomas D'Agostino said more money is needed because the U.S. needs the best nuclear weapons facilities, scientists and engineers, even as it moves toward eventual disarmament.
"This budget is implementing the president's nuclear vision," he said.

NNSA wants a 4.7 per cent overall increase for infrastructure to more than $2.3 billion, including money for major long-term projects to replace aging buildings at New Mexico's Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.
Greg Mello, director of the nuclear watchdog Los Alamos Study Group, said budgets have increased in recent years, but the nation "hasn't seen any increase in weapons activities like this since the early years of Ronald Reagan."
He called the budget "a complete surrender to Senate Republicans," who have argued that stockpile reductions must be accompanied by a modernized nuclear weapons complex.
Los Alamos' budget includes about $225 million for design work for a research building to replace a 58-year-old lab where scientists analyze samples of plutonium and other radioactive materials. Watchdog groups contend the new building would position the U.S. to build more nuclear weapons, but Los Alamos lab officials have said the facility would replace existing capabilities.

I know it sounds confusing and contradictory, but actually it is quite logical. Although the stockpile of nuclear weapons needs to be gradually reduced down toward the goal of complete disarmament, nuclear science still needs to progress. Scientists still need to research , experiment and analyze radioactive materials. They have to keep up with the rest of the world or if possible stay ahead of it. And yes, they need to know how to develop new and superior weapons to maintain the country's strength and security if needed. We have to acknowledge that other major powers are investing in the future of nuclear research, whether they admit to it or not and we have to stay abreast. The present labs and facilities are fifty-eight years old and need updating to assure the safety of the technicians and provide the correct environment for this research.

With countries like Iran trying to build nuclear weapons for what can only be nefarious purposes, and the Taliban with it's vendetta against the USA, we must always be on guard. Sometimes a stand-off comes down to,"Mine is bigger and better than yours." We always hoped the world would outgrow this one-upmanship mentality and it will.... someday.