Who has thermonuclear weapons?
The answer to this question can become a bit complicated. The nuclear non-proliferation treaty recognizes five states who have the legal authority to hold nuclear weapons. These NPT bound states have agreed to limit their warhead totals as well as take appropriate measures needed to halt the proliferation of nuclear weapon technology to non-nuclear weapon states. The five recognized nuclear powers are the United States, Russia, China, Great Britain, and France. In addition to these states are those states that have nuclear weapons but thus far have either refused to agree to the terms of the NPT or have violated those terms. The non-recognized nuclear powers are India, Pakistan, and North Korea. Finally, there are those states who are actively seeking nuclear weapons or have developed nuclear weapons but refuse to admit to their nuclear weapon holdings. Iran and Syria are both thought to have nuclear weapon programs (a recent U.S. Government NIE statement concluded that Iran’s program
