THE Bush administration is being forced to consider what would have been unthinkable just a few months ago: giving up on its plans to develop new nuclear weapons, including bunker-busters and mini-nukes, after the US Congress cut funding for such research.
Congressional leaders surprised everyone last week by agreeing to a final government budget that sliced $57 million from nuclear spending in 2005. The decision came after days of frantic horse-trading behind closed doors, and was largely due to the efforts of David Hobson, a Republican representative from Ohio.
As chair of the Energy and Water Subcommittee of the House…
