Nuclear arms control and non-proliferation in 2016

Nuclear arms control and non-proliferation has been a major element of the Obama administration’s foreign policy. To help understand recent achievements in that arena, as well as possible next steps, the Brookings Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Initiative has prepared an arms control and non-proliferation primer.

The document outlines the Obama administration’s accomplishments, complications that have hindered progress on arms control, and possible next steps on issues including further nuclear reductions, treaty compliance, and missile defense issues. The presentation is meant to aid anyone seeking a quick introduction to the intricate world of nuclear arms control and non-proliferation.

The primer assesses the status of nuclear arms control as of early 2016 and key issues for the future. Topics include:

• New START
• The Nuclear Security Summit Process
• The Iran-P5+1 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
• Further cuts to nuclear forces
• INF Treaty compliance
• Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
• Missile defense issues
• Advanced conventional weapons
• Multilateralization of arms control