The United States has removed its nuclear arsenal from Greece,
but maintains nuclear assets in neighboring Turkey.
The Natural Resources Defense Council said 20 U.S. B61 nuclear bombs
were flown out of Araxos air base in southern Greece in the spring of 2001.
The council said in a report that President Bill Clinton authorized the
removal of the bombs in a top-secret document dated Nov. 29, 2000.
However, Turkey retains 90 U.S. nuclear weapons, said the study, entitled "U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Europe". The
report, authored by Hans Kristensen, said the nuclear weapons have been located at the Incerlik air force
base, which has received atomic bombs from bases in Akinci and Balikesir.
The report said NATO countries host as many as 480 U.S. nuclear weapons.
In addition to Turkey, the council cited Belgium, Britain, Germany, Italy
and the Netherlands. The United States has stationed nuclear weapons in
Europe since 1954.
"NATO's nuclear posture in Europe is partially justified as a potential
deterrent against proliferating countries, and Incirlik Air Base in Turkey
is the only NATO nuclear air base within striking range of Iran," the report
said. "The credibility of that deterrent – even if one believes it existed – seems to
have eroded with Turkey's stand."
The report said Ankara, which in 2003 refused the entry of American
troops to fight Iraq, would probably not allow the United States to use
Turkish military bases for an attack on Iran. The council pointed out that
as late as December 2004 Turkey said it would not support any U.S. military
strike on Iran.
"The Turkish government has made decisions during the last couple of
years that strongly call into question the credibility of nuclear operations
from Turkey territory," the report said.
Incerlik has a capacity to store 100 atomic bombs, the report said.
Akinci and Balikesir have the capacity to store 24 nuclear weapons each in
what the report said could comprise NATO and U.S. strike options against
Iran.
"NATO should use the removal of nuclear weapons from Greece, Italy, and
Turkey to invigorate efforts toward a nuclear weapons free zone in the
Middle East," the report said. "Such initiatives would provide real benefits
to NATO security."
The report said the United States appears to be seeking to host
nuclear-related facilities in other parts of the Middle East. In 1994, the
report said, the United States designated a military facility in Tunisia as
a base for nuclear training as part of a program meant to promote democracy
in the Third World.
"One interesting change in 1994 list was the addition of a new
nuclear-capable bombing range in Northern Africa: Ben Ghilouf in Tunisia,"
the report said. "It is unclear whether Tunisia knows that Ben Ghilouf is
for nuclear training."
"Since 1990, the number of host nation air bases that store U.S. nuclear
bombs has declined by two-thirds from 12 bases in 1990 to only four today,"
the report said.
The United States began contemplating the removal of nuclear weapons
from Greece in 1967 amid tensions with Turkey. The report said Washington
had been concerned over the safety of the nuclear arsenal amid rising
anti-American sentiment during the rule of a Greek leftist government in the
1970s.
