From the New York Times: As early as 1987, NATO foreign ministers proposed significant reductions of short-range nuclear weapons in their Reykjavik declaration. And 15 years ago, when U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry developed the formula that there is no need and no plan to deploy nuclear weapons to new NATO member states, he correctly clarified that European NATO countries would be covered by the U.S. nuclear umbrella regardless of whether nuclear weapons are stationed on their territory… Negotiations on the reduction of tactical nuclear weapons which might lead to the withdrawal of the remaining U.S. weapons should therefore be determined by three principles: 1. The alliance as a whole should reaffirm its reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella and on extended deterrence — even after significant cuts as a consequence of further arms control agreements. 2. Withdrawals should be based on the principle of reciprocity. 3. Most easily verifiable would be the total elimination of tactical nuclear weapons by both sides. (photo: Philip Reynaers)