IF YOU thought the threat of nuclear conflict ended with the cold war, developments over the past few months should have changed your mind.

In February, a leaked document from the Pentagon revealed details of a meeting planned for August at which the US military will discuss the construction of a new generation of tactical nuclear weapons. These weapons include a new range of mini-nukes specially designed to destroy deep bunkers.

It is a revelation that has unsettled many. In particular, observers believe that the threat posed by these weapons would encourage nuclear proliferation, and if the US dares to test them during development it could finish off the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Present USlaws forbid the development of new tactical nuclear weapons with an explosive yield of less than 5 kilotons. The proposed bunker busters will fall into this category, yet they would remain legal since they will be ...