Digging your own hole

Fallout shelters may again become fashionable as the United States releases its latest version of the Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations. It contains a number of ways that nuclear weapons could be used preemptively, even against countries or non-state actors that don't possess nuclear weapons of their own. Additionally, the US has pulled out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty as the Pentagon continues to request funding for new nuclear weapons programs. Five years ago it was generally agreed that nuclear weapons should never be used again, and their only purpose was to deter other countries from using theirs, in support of the Mutually Assured Destruction theory. I don't see how our recent behavior could do anything but start a new arms race and make any country not closely allied with the US speed up efforts to secure their own nuclear arsenal.