The Russian president sends a warning — the end of the INF and resumption of US tests of intermediate range ground-launched nuclear warheads means gravely higher stakes. When new first strike, ‘usable’ nukes are deployed to countries threatening the Russian Federation, then all bets are off
Category: Nuclear Weapons
Bret Stephens, NYT, Pushes for More Nukes
An op-ed in the N.Y. Times informs us the U.S. needs more nukes. As if the collapse of nuclear arms agreements isn’t enough, someone says step on the pedal, speed up the nuke production line, proliferate, escalate, ratchet up, unleash a new arms race. Who is this op-ed writer?
Another Nuclear Weapons Treaty ‘Bites the Dust’
As the INF and nuclear weapons control architecture collapses, we see no discussion in the US presidential TV debates re: the new nuclear arms race, a next generation of smart, ‘usable’, nuclear weapons, revelations of Saudi-Trump nuclear development, and talk of ending the nuclear test ban treaty
At the US Presidential Candidates Debate
Existential challenge? Climate crisis? Security demand? Eight Minutes + Seven Minutes = 15 Minutes Among Twenty Candidates. “Four hours of air-time over two nights and the first climate question arrives about 90 minutes into the Democratic party presidential debate on both nights. The combined time spent on climate both nights amounted to 15 minutes.”
New War Plans, New Weapons Systems
Not a walk in the park. Defense One; Foreign Affairs; TomDispatch. A taste of things to come as war plans shift to visions of full-spectrum conflict, strategic and tactical, cyber war, space war, AI war… China, Russia, the U.S. in a 21st century geo-political Great Game, all-too-real moves with new war systems, new nukes…
Carnegie Nuclear Policy Conference
As the international nuclear arms control architecture collapses, the progenitors of nuclear weapons control meet up at their annual DC confab to talk of strategic issues and academically shake their heads witnessing a descent toward a nuclear precipice … Nukes in the new era of proliferation … The 2019 Carnegie Nuclear Policy Conference
Regional Nuclear Conflict will deliver, science says, Global Nuclear Catastrophe
“If negotiations fail, it would be time to end the nuclear threat from North Korea – one way or the other” — U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham – 28 Feb 2019 … As nuclear negotiations between President Trump and N. Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un conclude with a walk without agreement, questions follow. What’s next?
Back to the Brink, Nuclear Catastrophe
As nuclear treaty after nuclear treaty bites the dust, today, February 1st, 2019, the U.S. announces its intent to withdraw from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty. Nuclear arms control is immeasurably damaged. A new nuclear arms race is heralded, a global breakout characterized by many as “insanity”.
Dems Re-Intro Bill to Prevent Nuclear First Use
Another legislative attempt to bring sanity into nuclear weapons policy. Being ‘on the brink’ of disaster is not rational policy. A new nuclear arms race is accelerating. Threats and chaos dominate U.S. foreign policy. Risks are multiplying and strategic opportunities lost in clicks of daily crisis. It is time to change course …
Bulletin of Atomic Scientists: Two Minutes
Two minutes to midnight, an atomic clock’s ticking. Few are aware of the danger. The nuclear risk is real but it seems far away. Then there are open-eyed scientists in the nuclear weapons biz who know the danger and are raising their voices. Former Governor Jerry Brown and Secretary of Defense William Perry step up […]
Strategic Demands: Looking Back at 2018
At the end of the Gregorian calendar year, it’s traditional to deliver a retrospective. Doing our part, Strategic Demands & associate GreenPolicy360 deliver downward spiraling news. The global community has suffered setbacks on two critical security fronts: nuclear & environmental: Nuclear arms control treaties are being set aside ushering in a new nuclear arms race. […]
Do Nukes Matter: To Nuke or Not to Nuke?
Foreign Affairs, published by the Council on Foreign Relations, asks the question. Do nuclear weapons matter? Strategic Demands replies: Does oblivion matter? Foreign Affairs speaks of nuclear weapons as if they can be rationally used. They are purchased, deployed, and discussed on separate tracks from the rest of the foreign policy agenda, and they are […]
Linkage, China, US, North Korea
President Donald Trump announces via Twitter that he has ordered Mike Pompeo to cancel a planned trip to North Korea because there has not been “sufficient progress” in denuclearization talks so far. The president singles out China for not “helping the process”…
In Helsinki, at the Press Conference
July 16, 2018 | Jeff Mason, a reporter for Reuters, asked about Trump’s tweet this morning that US “foolishness and stupidity” damaged the relationship between the US and Russia. “I hold both countries responsible… I think the United States has been foolish. I think we’ve all been foolish… I think we’re all to blame.” […]
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.
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
