But these new designs violate “the spirit if not the letter of the administration’s pledge to not develop new nuclear weapons,” Philip Coyle, UCS report co-author and former Pentagon head of weapons testing, argued in a statement. “It sends the wrong message to the rest of the world.”

Event chairman Terry Lierman said in a news release: “It is a pleasure to give this well-deserved award to Senator Harkin for his nearly four decades of work advocating for human rights in the U.S. Congress. Senator Harkin has been a tireless advocate and his retirement next year will leave a significant void in the halls of the Capitol.�

“To me it’s no big deal, numbers, up numbers down,� said John Isaacs, executive director of the Council for a Livable World, which advocates for reducing U.S. nuclear weapons. “Everyone certainly is in compliance with the treaty.�

The “isolationist” accusation is a convenient way to lump anti-war liberals with Tea Party conservatives. It allows those who support military action to paint their opponents as out of touch — burying their heads in the sand and clinging to a bygone era.

“Obviously, nuclear weapons are the worst of the worst,” said John Isaacs.