WASHINGTON - The Bush administration selected a design Friday for a new generation of atomic warheads, taking a major step toward building the first new nuclear weapon since the end of the Cold War nearly two decades ago.

The military and the Energy Department selected a design developed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California over a competing design by the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070302/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/new_warheads


Awwww, how sweet, a bouncing baby bomb. Gosh, I am glad we found something so adorable to spend our money on, when guerrilla warfare is all we have faced in decades. Escalation is hip again folks -- those sweet cold war days of yesteryear are back upon us -- as old Bonzo's ghost strikes again:

The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) today announced an acquisition and development strategy for the Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW.) The design by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories was selected as the initial baseline. Livermore and Sandia will provide the design leadership for this development project. All three laboratories, including Los Alamos National Laboratory and the U.S. nuclear weapons production complex, will work together as an integrated NNSA Project Team.

Development of the integrated weapons system is under the overall leadership of the Navy’s Strategic Systems Program.

Today’s announcement is an important first step in the RRW program that will enable a sustainable nuclear deterrent for our nation. The laboratories have been engaged in a feasibility study for the last two years to determine an initial RRW design based on NNSA and the U.S. Department of Defense criteria. We support this acquisition strategy and stand ready to participate in the transformation of the weapons complex.

Michael R. Anastasio, Director, LANL

George H. Miller, Director, LLNL

Thomas O. Hunter, Director, Sandia
http://www.llnl.gov/pao/news/news_releases/2007/NR-07-03-02.html

It was, however, not a surprise:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/12/07/MNG5Q3GH941.DTL

The administration has shown such a lack of foresight on all other matters and has squandered precious lives and resources in the name of avarice it comes as no surprise.

When is Congress going to cut these assholes off?

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