Blair Determined To Keep Britain's Nuclear Weapons

CIVIL NUCLEAR

File photo of a Trident submarine-launched (nuclear-tipped) ballistic missile.

London (AFP) Oct 19, 2005
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday that a nuclear deterrent remained a key part of Britain's defence, despite being useless against terrorism.

"We're committed to retaining the UK's independent nuclear deterrent," Blair said in reply to a question in parliament on whether he intended to replace the ageing Trident submarine-launched nuclear-tipped ballistic missile system.

"Although I don't think anyone pretends that the independent nuclear deterrent is a defence against terrorism, nonetheless I do believe it's an important part of our defence."

He admitted that the decision was looming before May 2010 but said that lawmakers would be given the chance to have their say on replacing Trident before the government decides if it will proceed.

"No decisions on replacing Trident have yet been taken, but these are likely to be necessary in the current parliament. It is to early to rule in or out any particular option," he said during the weekly prime minister's question time in the House of Commons

Blair faces mounting opposition from his fellow Labour Party lawmakers on the renewal of Britain's nuclear deterrent, notably over their cost to build.

Faced by accusations in September that he has secretly made a decision to spend up to 20 billion pounds (36 billion dollars, 30 billion euros) on a replacement system, Defence Secretary John Reid insisted: "It is not a decision about which I have received any advice, papers, options or made any decisions."

Britain has four Trident submarines in service: Her Majesty's Ships Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance. They each have 16 multiple warhead nuclear missiles with a range of 12,000 kilometres (7,500 miles).

HMS Vanguard successfully fired an unarmed Trident II D5 missile on October 11 during a naval exercise in the Atlantic Ocean.

CIVIL NUCLEAR

US Support For India's Nuclear Programme Is A One-Off: Official

Paris (AFP) Oct 19, 2005
Washington's moves to cooperate with India in developing nuclear energy is a one-off situation based on India's "responsible" track record which sets it apart from other aspiring nuclear powers, a senior US official said Wednesday.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT Analysis: Time Squeeze For Quake Victims Top US Official Seeks Emergency Agency's Overhaul In Wake Of Katrina Debacle Pakistan Cuts Through Mountain Roads To Reach Quake Survivors Quake-Hit Pakistan Races Against Winter	CLIMATE SCIENCE Mountain Winds May Create Atmospheric Hotspots Climate Model Predicts Dramatic Changes Over Next 100 Years Warmer Seas, Wetter Air Make Harder Rains as Greenhouse Gases Build Link Between Tropical Warming And Greenhouse Gases Stronger Than Ever
EARTH OBSERVATION The Next Generation Blue Marble Interview With Volker Liebig On The Loss Of Cryosat Wetlands Satellite Mapping Scheme Yielding First Results DigitalGlobe Unveils Plans For WorldView I And WorldView II Imaging Systems	ENERGY TECH Honda Unveils Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Concept Car Raser Technologies Enters Into Cooperative R&D Deal With U.S. Army CIA Invests In No-Fuel Power Generators Oil Prices Jump On Fresh US Hurricane Threat
EPIDEMICS Expert: Don't Rely On Tamiflu For Bird Flu China Reports New Bird Flu Outbreak As Pandemic Fears Grow Flu Virus Reported To Resist Drug Envisioned For Pandemic Health Wrap: Of Polio And Pandemics	FLORA AND FAUNA U. of Colorado Researcher Identifies Tracks Of Swimming Dinosaur In Wyoming Creeping Crinoids! Sea Lilies Crawl To Escape Predators, Video Shows Half-Animal, Half-Plant Microbe Found Seaweed Yields New Compounds With Pharmaceutical Potential
FROTH AND BUBBLE Acid Rain And Forest Mass: Another Perspective Mystery Fumes Envelope Lagos Katrina Floodwaters Not As Toxic To Humans As Previously Thought, Study Says UCSD Leads Team To Build Geographic Information System To Assess Toxic Hazards From Katrina	ABOUT US Ancient Anthropoid Origins Discovered In Africa Scientists Uncover Why Picture Perception Works The Roots Of Civilization Trace Back To ... Roots The Mechanics Of Foot Travel

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement