Reid pledges to fight possible new effort on bunker buster

Benjamin Grove

Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2005 | 11 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- If Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld aims to revive research into the proposed nuclear "bunker buster" bomb, he will have to go through Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.

"I have opposed that in the past and will continue to oppose it," Reid said today.

Reid noted that the weapon may have new support given that the new Congress has more Republicans. The weapon has the support of some Democrats.

The controversial bomb study lost steam last year when Congress cut the program's $27.5 million funding.

But Rumsfeld may seek to resume research of the "Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator."

Researchers had spent several years studying whether a nuclear weapon could be encased in a warhead designed to slam hundreds of feet below the ground's surface before detonating, according to today's edition of the Washington Post. Rumsfeld may seek $10.3 million as part of President Bush's budget to resume study of the weapon, the Post said. Bush's annual budget is set for release next week.

Nevada officials have kept a close eye on the debate over the weapon because if the bomb were ever developed, it could be tested at the Nevada Test Site. Nuclear weapons tests were suspended in 1992 at the nation's nuclear weapons proving ground, roughly 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

Bunker buster supporters have said the weapon could prove vital in the war on terror.

Critics have said the bomb would be too expensive and unnecessary and would undercut U.S. efforts to convince other nations to reduce nuclear weapons testing.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., opposes resumed nuclear testing in Nevada. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Nevada Republican Reps. Jim Gibbons and Jon Porter have said they could support the weapon and renewed testing -- but only if there was highly compelling evidence that the weapon was needed to protect national security.

Last year Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and National Nuclear Security Administration Director Linton Brooks said the Bush administration had no plans to resume nuclear testing of any kind. Brooks said resuming testing is "not an option."

Wolfowitz said that if the administration ever decided to move ahead with the bunker buster, then the president would request test money from Congress and lawmakers could decide the program's future then.