US Defence Secretary Mr Donald Rumsfeld today refused to rule out the US use of nuclear weapons in the possible war with Iraq, but noted atomic weapons have not been unleashed in hostilities since 1945.
"Our policy historically has been generally that we will not foreclose the possible use of nuclear weapons if attacked," Mr Rumsfeld said at a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
He said the United States would not "rule out various options," but said "those weapons ... have not been fired in anger since 1945."
Mr Rumsfeld's comments came during questioning by Senator Edward Kennedy who expressed alarm that the Bush administration may be considering lowering the threshold for possible use of nuclear weapons.
"As you well understand, the nuclear weapon is not just another weapon in an arsenal. And until now we've always kept them in a class of their own for good reason because of the enormous destructive power and our profound commitment to do all we can to see that they are never used again," Senator Kennedy said.
Mr Rumsfeld said, "Does the (Defence) department have an obligation and have they in successive administrations of both political parties had procedures whereby we would conceivably use nuclear weapons? Yes."
Senator Kennedy then asked whether the United States was "seriously considering using any nuclear weapons against Iraq?"
"The only person in the United States who has the power to use weapons of that nature is the president of the United States," Mr Rumsfeld responded. "It seems to me that if one looks at our record, we went through the Korean War, we went through the Vietnam War, we've gone through the war on terror and we've not used nuclear weapons. That ought to say something about the threshold with respect to nuclear weapons."
Mr Rumsfeld added, "We have every confidence that in the event force is to be used in Iraq that we can do what needs to be done using conventional capabilities."
The only use of nuclear weapons in wartime came in August 1945 when the United States used atomic bombs against two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, during World War Two.