Does the US still have a "No First Use" nuclear policy?

[Aristus]

If so, then General Milley did the right thing by assuring China that the US would stand by that commitment no matter what Trump wanted to do with our nukes.

General Milley did the right thing.

Let the 'pukes trash him.

We Democrats shouldn't.

[hunter]

1. The U.S.A. has NEVER had a "No First Use" policy.

It's just one of those lies we tell ourselves so we can sleep at night.

[mathematic]

2. "Still"? When did we ever?

Now that you know that the USA has a "we reserve the right to nuke you first" policy, which is the complete opposite of what you thought our policy was, how has that changed your analysis?

[atreides1]

3. Never had one

Pakistan, Russia, United Kingdom, United States, and France say that they will use nuclear weapons against either nuclear or non-nuclear states only in the case of invasion or other attack against their territory or against one of their allies.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

4. No, we do not have a no first use policy

President Obama considered it in 2010 but decided against it. I don't remember hearing that changing during the last Nuclear Posture Review in 2018. The only promise we made is that we will not use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states who comply with the Non Proliferation Treaty. I think only two countries have no first use policies, China and India. Every other nuclear state keeps the option on the table.

[Ohio Joe]

9. Obama considered using nukes in a first strike in 2010?

Tell me more.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

10. No

He considered instituting a No First Use policy during the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review, but didn't.

[Aristus]

5. Well. This is dismaying.

Still, General Milley did the right thing.

God damn the idiots who put the nuclear triggers into the hands of a demented reality show host...

[sarisataka]

6. We never have had such a policy.

We have unofficially stated we would not initiate use of NBC warfare but reserve the right to respond to use of such weapons in like but not kind manner. It has never been codified however.

[JHB]

7. Never had one. During the Cold War the thought was that the Soviets...

...could field overwhelming numbers in conventional warfare. Tactical nukes were a counterbalance to that.

[Klaralven]

8. First use without an imminent nuclear attack or an ongoing conventional attack is unconstitutional

The President does not have the power to make war by himself. So an order for first use of nuclear weapons by the President alone when there is no national emergency caused by either an imminent or actual nuclear attack or an ongoing conventional attack is unconstitutional.

First use under these circumstances would require a declaration of war by Congress to be constitutional.

https://media.nti.org/documents/The_President_and_Nuclear_Weapons_Authorities_Limits_and_Process.pdf