Published 2017 Strategic Demands Editor, Steven Schmidt: It is time to recall my memories of Dan Ellsberg of nearly 50 years ago… From a nondescript building in Santa Monica to a house on the beach in Malibu, from a basketball court in Pacific Palisades to a Parade editor’s tennis court on Sunset Boulevard… My […]
If decades of disastrous wars in the Mid/Near East aren’t enough for you… if U.S. forces based across the globe aren’t enough… if a Triad of 24/7/365 hair-trigger alert nuclear weapons aren’t enough, if the collapse of weapons control agreements and treaties aren’t enough then how about a Big Show on the 4th of July? […]
Press reports of the Putin-Trump meeting in Helsinki converged quickly on a dominant narrative — Putin advanced Russian interests and the US president inexplicably supports (or doesn’t support) Putin’s interests. At Strategic Demands, as an independent voice distinct from news cycle narratives, we focus here on our interests, the ‘issue of issues’, nuclear weapons
The U.S. needs new oversight on the unlimited power of the president to order nuclear use on any day at any moment for whatever reason. The singular nuclear launch authority one person has is an extreme and potentially cataclysmic authority. Now is the time for a sane nuclear launch system
On Veterans Day, formerly World War One Armistice Day, the “war to end all wars”, we look back and forward at the costs of war and remember the courage in defense of values worth defending. My father was a B-17 pilot then trained as a B-29 pilot among those who began the nuclear era…
A decade ago, founding members of Strategic Demands organized a “Surviving Victory” conference in Washington DC to address the 2006 security briefing: Strategic Demands of the 21st Century. Our intent was to bring new perspective to failing, counterproductive security policy. This week we look back — and look forward. The #CostsofWar are top of mind
As the US president ramps up his rhetoric in Europe, pointing at enemies ranging from a “fake news” press to North Korea, from “urban carnage” to Iran, from Democrats and those who question his “modern day presidential” tweeting to whatever and whomever he chooses to target in the daily news cycle, a clock ticks
At the Brink … US – Russian cooperation breaks down as Russia again charges the US and US allies with supporting Islamic Salafi-Jihadi forces — and ups the ante after the US September 17th Deir Ezzor “accidental air attack” that killed and wounded 200 Syrian government troops
At StratDem we look out at the security horizon and continue our attempt to develop “New Definitions of National Security” with an emphasis on bringing together “Environment Security with National Security”. Today we look at two key executive presidential actions in this regard, and a poll of American voters on likelihood of nuclear weapons use […]
‘On Nuclear Weapons’… ‘The U.S. is now spending annually, in constant dollars, more than three times what the US did for comparable activities during the Cold War.’ (2022/LASG) 2024 WASHINGTON – MARCH 11, 2024 The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) released its portion of President Biden’s Fiscal Year […]
Continuing on our push for a change in US nuclear weapon first-use policy, we fair-use post an editorial arguing again with growing support that now is time for the President to use his executive powers as the clock ticks toward his last days in office. “President Obama has an opportunity to further delegitimize nuclear weapons […]
A Nuclear Arsenal and Reflections on a President’s Last Days in Office Obama plans major nuclear policy changes in his final months … Obama administration determined to advance the nuclear reduction agenda. StratDem update: A month ago we wrote that the president’s final days in office should include executive orders addressing nuclear proliferation issues… Now, […]
The final question from the international press assembled at the Nuclear Security Summit addressed next generation nuclear weapons. ‘Smarter’ (precision-guided), more usable (‘dial up’ yields), miniaturized nuclear warheads, and delivery systems in development (cruise missiles and F-35s) are soon-to-be-deployed. A new Cold War arms race is heating up
Miscalculation, mistake, a cyber attack or provocation that spirals out of control… the reality of cold war-legacy systems with hair-trigger response imperatives… escalating political conflict and threats… the development and deployment of a next generation of tactical / strategic nuclear weapons, bombers, missiles, submarines… The 21st century scenario is delivering ominous nuclear odds
As lobbying, discussion and debate continue in the US amid general agreement that the President has the votes in support of the P5+1 Iran agreement, two additional points come further into view: the IAEA powers to monitor and verify in Iran and IAEA powers to monitor and verify beyond Iran
President speaks to the issue of international agreement with Iran — As delivered at American University — August 5, 2015 ◊ Obama: Arguments against Iran deal echo those favoring war in Iraq — Washington (CNN) President Barack Obama, seeking to amplify his campaign to garner congressional support for the Iran nuclear deal, declared Wednesday the decision […]
