As world media has yet to capture the import of nuclear weapons issues during the Russia-Ukraine standoff, the world media has yet to capture climate-energy issues given the import of Russia’s gas to Europe
Search Results for: editor
Democracy ‘Backsliding’
To look at some 200 nations of the world and ask how democracy’s doing these days is to witness what’s being called ‘backsliding’. Signs of loss in democratic norms are global and the world wide web — the Internet with its social media storms — is pushing breakdowns. Democracy’s ‘backsliding’ & its breakdowns are all-too-real
International Climate Summit Needs to Demand New Definitions of National Security
As Strategic Demands’ editor reflects on half a century of climate work, beginning with Rep. George E Brown-(D) East LA, key drafter of the first National Climate Act in 1978, the climate science message we advanced decades ago is now, at last, coming into the spotlight. But is it too late?
U.S. Department of Defense – Report on China
Two citizens of the United States respond to the latest U.S. Department of Defense Report to Congress on the “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China”. The editor of Strategic Demands focuses in on a predictable result of U.S. nuclear weapons ‘modernization’ and expansion of capabilities…
ICBMs ‘Hair-trigger’ Launch on Warning Era Must End
As readers of Strategic Demands may recall, your editor as a younger man was close to Dan Ellsberg during his Rand research days in Santa Monica. Dan’s role with the “Pentagon Papers” was historic, but few know of Dan Ellsberg’s role as a U.S. nuclear war planner…
As Afghanistan Falls to the Taliban
August in its imperial definition faces another day of reckoning – August 15th, 2021. The president of Afghanistan flees and the Taliban enter Kabul. Negotiations over a reported “unconditional surrender” proceed. U.S. helicopters swoop in to evacuate …
History of Earth Science with the Committee on Science, Space & Technology
History can play a critical role informing every generation’s decisions. Accurate, informed knowledge and intelligence can shape front-line decision-makers lives as they deal with everyday challenges. Larger challenges, even existential challenges — and crisis require best available intelligence. To illustrate, let’s look back at the origins of U.S. climate and earth science
The Day After the Debate
What a spectacle, what a veritable disaster last night’s U.S. presidential ‘debate’ turned out to be. Not unpredictably, but perhaps worse than most anyone had predicted, the Biden-Trump ninety minutes on-stage became a televised verbal brawl. Last night was frightening to witness
The Button, Bolton & Trump
A John Bolton interview. Another warning about command and control of nuclear weapons presents itself. A series of threats, abandoned arms agreements, collapsed diplomacy, escalations and provocations emanate daily in the news. How often, over the years, do we have to be warned of ‘erratic’ decisions delivering catastrophic consequences
Earth Day, 50th Anniversary
Fifty years on… and still going strong. Your Strategic Demands editor reflects on the road to the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970. Senator Nelson played a key role, Rep. George E. Brown worked behind the scenes, the Vietnam Moratorium with its message to Nixon and tactics of ‘teach-ins’ inspired. The word went out — […]
Debate Existential Risks? Climate. Nukes. Or Neither?
CBS-moderated US Democratic presidential debate ends without one question being asked about the existential Climate Crisis or New Nuclear Arms Race: Questions of existence are not worthy of discussion, it seems, even as a US president denies Climate science and releases huge new nuclear budget featuring nuclear pits ‘n triggers for new ‘usable’ nukes
Announced End to US War in Afghanistan
(Update – Signing of agreement on Feb. 29, 2020 – Additional details to follow) The news of on again, off again talks and meetings between Afghan Taliban forces and the US seems to signal the latest truce will be followed by an agreement for US withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. The war operation began with […]
An Immeasurably More Dangerous World
Space Force. The words by themselves call out science fiction that is reality. Star Wars of the vivid imagination when George Lucas leaves the on-screen world for the real world — and the U.S. Air Force, at first reluctantly but then obediently, salutes with Yes Sir — and the U.S. president smiles. A new brand […]
The End or: How I Worried & Learned to Not Love the Bomb
The house on Sunset Boulevard was inconspicuous. Set back from the street, it could barely be seen but the house was a deep lot, with tennis court in the back where Lloyd Shearer, editor of Parade Magazine in its heyday would regularly interview a Who’s Who of celebrities. Sagan brought a story with him…
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?
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”.
Perspective by Arkin
An open letter from William Arkin. Captive to the National Security State? William Arkin quits NBC accusing it of having lost perspective. Arkin is the co-author of the famed (and prescient) Washington Post series “Top Secret America”, an investigative research project of over two years that describes the National Security State buildup