Can You Take Calls For Nuclear Disarmament Seriously Without Serious Arguments?

The article Taking disarmament seriously, as with many arms control advocacy pieces, presumes what it sets out to prove. That doesn’t work for me.  I can’t take disarmament arguments seriously without serious arguments.  Arms controllers tend to be full of “we gotta” while ignoring the “and here’s how we’re gonna” part. So in the “we [...]

Russia Balks At Another Bilateral Nuke Deal

Russia appears to be happy with their place in the nuclear world. Why is that?  Because they are satisfied with where they think new START will leave them on the strategic side vis-a-vis the U.S. and the rest of the world, and they will also be keeping their massive inventory of tactical nuclear weapons. At least that’s [...]

Arms Controllers Appeal To Authority

I’m always amazed at the appeal to authority thrown down by those advocating the new START. It’s as predictable as the day is long: appeal to authority.  Then the use of the word “modest” to describe the treaty.  Next, ad hominem attacks on those who would question the wisdom of arms control.  Finally, the attempt [...]

New START On Shaky Ground?

According to the LA Times, if new START is not ratified by the Senate, it will be for three reasons: Missile defense concerns Nuclear modernization concerns Verification concerns Not mentioned are a few other areas critics bring forward: Lack of an integrated security effect–Russia’s ten-to-one tactical nuclear weapons are ignored Lack of effect on nuclear [...]

Attack of the Zeros

Foreign Policy has an interesting article that spans much of the spectrum regarding the current nuclear state-of-play.  New START, Nuclear Policy Review, and Proliferation?  Check, check, and check. The article kicks things off with a short critique of the flick Nuclear Tipping Point which James Traub describes as “an old-fashioned eye-glazer” and features the fab four [...]

Facing Reality: ‘New’ START Won’t Be Quickly Ratified

Defense News relays the obvious, which is news because expectation management is being exercised.  The administration doesn’t expect new START to be ratified quickly. I’d expect U.S. nuclear modernization and perhaps missile defense will become more closely linked to new START ratification. Months ago the administration attempted to sweeten the deal with a proposed plus-up [...]

Kremlin source says START ready for signing

In the olden days, back when Dick Nixon was President, an arms control treaty like START might have been big news. We’re not in the olden days anymore. Will PM Putin throw in some eleventh-hour show-stopper designed to make the U.S. look like Elmer Fudd?

World War II? Nothing to do with Stalin, says Russia’s President

Perhaps you thought Ramses was the king of denial? The sort of Russian “thinking” outlined in this article should be a serious caveat emptor for the administration as they work with the Russians on arms control and missile defense issues. If this is the sort of stuff they’re selling, I’m hoping we’re not buying.

Obama Puts Arms Control at Core of New Strategy

I’m not sure why the WSJ ran this article. It will not provide any profound insights and contains a number of non sequiturs. The title is eye-catching (well, to some), but the lead paragraph immediately launches into nuclear deterrence, which we know from our studies is not the same as arms control. The article’s purpose [...]

Mail In The Nuclear Posture Review?

Tally ho on the reset button? Well, at one level, it may appear so. Per public law, the purpose of the 2009 Nuclear Posture Review is to establish U.S. nuclear deterrence policy, strategy, and force posture for the next 5 to 10 years. It seems unclear how the NPR’s call for a measured, deliberate, consultative, [...]