500 French, British and German MPs write to US counterparts to support the JCPOA. Quote: “Together, let’s keep the JCPOA alive and protect the fruits of successful diplomacy.”
Author: Strategic Demands Online
Mike Pompeo, Next Up
As White House cabinet officials, aides and staff rapidly come and go, today comes Mike Pompeo. The CIA chief nominated to replace the recently departed Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, delivers a close presidential relationship and promises “not to play games at the negotiating table”
Blowback Risks, Asymmetrical Conflict
What’s an appropriate response to news of an unexpected meeting in Beijing and newest moves by the US president threatening trade war with China? The first shots in the trade war are now fired, global markets are responding, and the visit of N. Korea’s leader to meet the Chinese president signal a new asymmetrical conflict […]
Bolton Next Up
Nuclear Chain of Command
(Excerpt) The President may direct the use of nuclear weapons through an execute order via the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the combatant commanders and, ultimately, to the forces in the field exercising direct control of the weapons.
May in Korea
Tom Nichols Makes His Case. Strategic Demands’ editor responds… Former US Defense chief, William Perry, weighs in… Negotiating horizon? Time to prep? Two months. Negotiating prep to date? No visible prep. Korean Ambassador? No US Ambassador. Nuclear weapons experts? Arms Control team? Questionable at best. Winging it? Admittedly. Other options? War. Nuclear war. Dead-Hand Disaster.
Korean Talks, March 6th, 2018
Announced breakthrough in talks between North / South Korea… 1) Breaking: 2 Koreas 5 pt agreement: 1. inter-Korean summit end of April at Panmunjeom, 2. establish hotline between Moon-Kim to reduce tensions & consult, 3. NK has will to denuclearize, no reason to have nukes if security guaranteed, willing to have frank talks with US…
Nuclear Ratcheting II
March 1st : Russian president Putin addresses the nation. Accompanied by large screen animated demonstrations, he talks of a new generation of nuclear weapons. In the US, strategic experts question the weapons. Others begin debating the rising danger of a nuclear arms race. The US president reacts, angrily tweeting before dawn
Renewed Nuclear Arms Race
This is what ratcheting up looks like. This time ratcheting is three-sided. China’s in the nuclear game and the new nuclear arms race extends from cruise missiles with ‘usable’ nuclear warheads to hypersonic nuclear re-entry vehicles. The US, Russia and China — and alliance partners — are racing, each pushing the other, toward strategic disaster
Costs of War, Reality
Far from the US public mind, the reality of global war continues, far beyond “counter-terror” operations in 76 countries, every minute, hour, day, year… costs counted and unaccounted, blood/treasure, opportunities lost, security lost, health care lost, education lost, lives crushed, today and tomorrow a reality of perpetual war… Where is the ‘winning’?
Olympics Opening Ceremony
International Games — Political Spectacle Dangerous times. The world watches as athletes from North and South Korea march together and, in the background, threats of war form a counterpoint to beginnings of talks, glimpses of an ‘off ramp’ from war — Imagine
US Nuclear Posture Review Released
The new Nuclear Posture Review signals a new nuclear arms race. Luck of the draw. “Do you feel lucky?” The question of generational, existential risk takes on new dimension as strategic arms experts ask deadly end game questions. Nuclear tensions are turning to nuclear threats, an international ramp up of nuclear weapons development, ‘usable’ nukes, […]
February 2018: Nuclear Weapons Time, ‘Usable’ Nukes on the Horizon
Making America Nuclear Again Trump’s Gamble Inside the Doom Factory “Fire & fury like the world has never seen“
Two Minutes to Midnight
Via the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Green Politics / Nuclear Weapons
At the front lines of the Cold War, a green political movement was launched in Europe. Today, green parties exist in over 1/2 the countries of the world — as nuclear nonproliferation education continues at the front of a green agenda
Olympic Overture in the Koreas
Citizens of the U.S. are not known for their knowledge of international relations — from the basics across to more detailed, complex geopolitics and diplomacy. Yet, it is time to recall what was once called “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” that set in motion an opening between the U.S. and China. The Olympics may be another opening
Tweethead Meltdown
