Since the United States has already committed itself to drastic cuts in its nuclear arsenal, the Pentagon believes that the unilateral reductions would have no effect on America's ability to deter a nuclear adversary.

The recommendations, if adopted, would reduce the American arsenal below the 6,000 nuclear warheads allowed by the first strategic arms reduction treaty, or START I, the daily said quoting senior administration officials.

The United States and Russia have signed a second arms treaty, START II, that would cut their arsenals even more sharply, to between 3,000 and 3,500 warheads. But for nearly six years, Russia's parliament has refused to approve START II. Because of the delay and US legislation blocking unilateral cuts, the Pentagonfaces the prospect of paying hundreds of millions of dollars to maintain -- and soon to rebuild -- nuclear weapons that the United States has already agreed to scrap.