American analysts disagree as to whether US nuclear posture affects Washington’s ability to pursue its nonproliferation goals. Broadly speaking, one sector of the foreign policy community links nonproliferation to US progress toward fulfilling its Article VI commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Another group of analysts believes that progress toward nuclear disarmament will have no effect and could even encourage proliferation. Compounding this disagreement is the lack of significant evidence supporting either view.

On July 31, 2008, the Stanley Foundation convened a workshop to examine the international implications of US nuclear weapons policy and to assess how much influence the United States has over the proliferation decisions of other nations.