Publication

Ahead of the November 19-20, 2010 Lisbon summit, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen declared the role of nuclear weapons “a very central question” in NATO’s updated strategic concept. Rasmussen had good reason to do so. Internally, the debate on the role of nuclear weapons in NATO’s defense posture turned out to be divisive. Agreement among allies on a revised nuclear posture was achieved only hours before NATO heads of state and government convened in Lisbon.