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Congressional Schedule for DoD and DoE Bills
2007-11-14 17:51:00
Provided below is an updated schedule of Congressional action on key Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Energy (DoE) bills, as prepared by David Culp of FCNL. [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Schedule , Bills

National Security Legislative Wrap-up, November 5-9 2007
2007-11-14 03:17:00
With one week to go before a two-week break for Thanksgiving, Congress is working on completing a significant amount of legislation. Last week, both houses of Congress approved the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Appropriations Bill. This week, both houses may consider a completed Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization Bill. In addition, a bill may come up to appropriate $50 billion to pay for several months of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last week, House leaders released a draft version of the bill, which is described below. ACTION IN THE LAST WEEK On November 8, Congress approved the... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Security , National , National Security , Wrap

Dem Prez Candidates on Iran
2007-11-12 09:29:00
Admittedly, I?m again a little late to the party, but nevertheless I thought I?d recap some key points from the Democratic presidential debate sponsored by MSNBC at Drexel University in Philadelphia on October 30. Aside from Kucinich equivocating on his UFO experience, the best line of the evening came from Biden: ?Rudy Giuliani -- I mean, think about it. Rudy Giuliani -- there's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun and a verb and 9/11. I mean, there's nothing else.? But I digress. A major portion of the early debate centered around recent legislative developments... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Iran , Candidates , Prez , Candidate

Iranian Nuke Program Further Developed, New Approach Necessary
2007-11-09 06:37:00
The war of words between President Bush and Iranian President Ahmadinejad continues to intensify. As Bush reaffirmed his warning on Wednesday that a nuclear-armed Iran might lead to WWIII, Ahmadinejad announced that Iran reached its target of 3,000 fully-functioning centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear facility. Although no independent authority has verified these claims, Ahmadinejad?s announcement goes beyond previous statements by indicating that the centrifuges are now up and running. Centrifuges produce uranium gas, which can either be developed into fuel for a nuclear reactor or ? at... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Nuke , Program , Rani

Presidential Candidates on Nukes, Iran, and Iraq
2007-11-08 15:28:00
Which of the presidential candidates would attempt to eliminate nuclear stockpiles worldwide, who would only try to reduce them, and who would fund new nukes? The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) just released a summary of presidential candidates' stances on Iraq , Iran , and nuclear weapons in their publication, Eyes on the Prize. Candidate information is available for Clinton, Edwards, Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, Obama, Richardson, Romney, and Thompson. View the report here. You may also be interested in checking out candidates' responses to seven key national security... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Presidential , Bill Richardson , Fred Thompson

Deepti Choubey: A Chance for Nuclear Leadership
2007-11-08 06:04:00
Deepti Choubey of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace penned a great piece yesterday on the need for U.S. leadership in global nonproliferation efforts. Whoever wins in 2008, the most important strategic foreign policy issue facing the next President and Congress will be how to prevent the further spread of nuclear weapons. For almost four decades the world has been protected by a global agreement -- the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) -- which worked to keep the number of nuclear weapon states small. That agreement, and the world order that relies on it, badly needs U.S.... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Leadership , Chance , Chan

House-Senate Conference Committee Funds RRW
2007-11-07 07:03:00
House and Senate Conferees agreed yesterday to a FY 2008 Defense Appropriations bill, which could soon go to the President?s desk. At just over $459 billion, the bill is $3.5 billion less than the President?s FY 2008 budget request, but $39.7 billion more than the FY 2007 enacted level for the Department of Defense. Significantly, funding for the Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) program was limited to $15 million, effectively adopting the Senate?s funding levels. The Senate-approved bill had cut the President?s request for RRW funding from $30 million down to $15 million, although the... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: House , Funds , Committee , Conference

?Non-Treehuggers Criticize the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership?
2007-11-07 06:03:00
Catchy title, right? Plutonium Page at Daily Kos put together a great piece recently on GNEP in which she argues that the program is ?a complex domestic issue as well as a thorny international one. Political and environmental situations are not static; and regardless of how ?friendly? the reprocessing technology proposed by the GNEP sounds, it is not foolproof when it comes to proliferation ? Whether you're in favor of storing spent nuclear fuel at Yucca Mountain or Novaya Zemlya, we can all agree that something has to be done. The G NEP will not solve it... not in this lifetime.? ... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Nuclear , Nuclear Energy , Energy , Global

John Isaacs: Congress and Iran: The New Iraq?
2007-11-06 21:43:00
Executive Director of the Center, John Isaacs , published a new article last week on the simmering situation in Congress concerning Iran . He sees last month as a turning point in the administration's PR offensive laying the groundwork for a preventive U.S. attack against Iran. The drumbeat of a possible march to war with Iran reached a new intensity in recent weeks. Although the campaign is led by President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, cheerleaders in Congress and the conservative community?with no small assistance from Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his inflammatory... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Iraq

National Security Legislative Wrap-up, October 29-November 2 2007
2007-11-05 21:03:00
Action is expected to pick up this week on the national security front. The Defense Appropriations conference report is virtually completed, with final approval by the conference committee expected this week and floor action soon after. Last week, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) sent President Bush a letter signed by 30 Senators that called the Administration's recent statements on Iran "counterproductive" and stated "that no offensive military action would be justified against Iran without the express consent of Congress." ACTION IN THE LAST WEEK The Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization bill... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Security , National , National Security , November , October

William Hartung: To Build or Not to Build?
2007-11-05 06:04:00
The New America Foundation?s William Hartung recently put out a great report on Complex Transformation (the proposal to modernize and upgrade the NNSA?s nuclear weapons complex), with a special focus on the Kansas City Plant. It begins... Periodically the United States government reviews its doctrine on the strategic purpose and potential use of nuclear weapons. In keeping with its most recent Nuclear Posture Review, released in 2002, the Bush administration has proposed a revision of the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. foreign policy. In place of the Cold War ?triad? of nuclear delivery... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
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Recap of Nuke and Nonpro Issues from Recent Republican Debate
2007-11-04 03:19:00
It?s a little past its prime, but I thought I?d recap some key points from the Fox News-sponsored Republican presidential debate in Florida on October 21. After lengthy battles over who is more conservative, gay marriage, abortion, health care, education, defeating Hillary Clinton, Medicare and Social Security, the debate finally turned to Russia and missile defense.To make a long story short? The ?first thing? Sen. John McCain would do is ?make sure that we have a missile defense system in place in Czechoslovakia and Poland, and I don't care what [Putin?s] objections are to it.? (Note:... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Issues , Debate , Recap , Recent

Answers Evade IAEA in Syria Case
2007-11-02 14:54:00
Could you determine the precise nature of a potential nuclear facility from only the two pictures below? Neither could the IAEA, a senior diplomat said on Wednesday. Despite appeals from IAEA Director General Mohammed ElBaradei, no country has come forward to IAEA investigators with evidence that the facility bombed by Israel on September 6 either was or was not harboring a covert nuclear weapons program. Before and after satellite images of the site (photo from the Institute for Science and International Security) There have still been few official statements regarding the incident, and... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Syria , Answers , Case

Putin's Modernization Plan "Grandiose" to Those Who Don't Know Difference b
2007-10-30 18:44:00
Vladimir Putin's remarks on military modernization, aired over Russian radio on October 18th, are causing quite a stir. Last Friday, the Times of London quoted the Russian president as follows: We will develop missile technology including completely new strategic [nuclear] complexes, completely new. Work is continuing successfully. We have plans that are not only big but grandiose, and they are fully realistic. Our armed forces will be more compact but more effective and better ensure Russia defence.The paper stated that Putin's remarks "signaled the start of a new nuclear arms race," and... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Plan , Difference , Diff

National Security Legislative Wrap-up, October 22-26 2007
2007-10-29 16:49:00
Congress has been quiet on the national security front. Key work on national security issues continues to be done behind closed doors in House-Senate conference committees. In one new legislative development on Iran, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced Senate Resolution 356 to require explicit Congressional approval before any offensive military action against Iran. ACTION IN THE LAST WEEK The Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization bill is being considered by a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences between the two bills. The Fiscal Year 2008 Defense... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Security , National , National Security , October , Wrap

Secrecy Still Surrounds Israeli Strike in Syria
2007-10-26 20:05:00
A cloud of secrecy still hovers around the Israeli airstrikes in Syria on September 6. However, two interesting developments have occurred over the past week, one that may soon help to provide answers to numerous unanswered questions, and one that may make those answers more elusive. The IAEA has begun an investigation into the bombings, and Syria has begun dismantling the targeted facility. Before and after satellite images of the site (photo from the Institute for Science and International Security) Though the U.S. confirmed on September 11 that Israel did in fact launch airstrikes in... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Secrecy , Strike , Rounds

Sen. Kyl Urges Opposition to CTBT Provision
2007-10-26 02:07:00
Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) organized 37 fellow Senators yesterday to oppose a provision in the Defense Authorization bill that urges the ratification of the CTBT. Contained within a section that outlines the ?sense of Congress? on nuclear nonproliferation policy and RRW, Kyl argued on the Senate floor that the provision ?undermines the Senate's position on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, CTBT, without the benefit of neither the historical treaty consideration process nor a serious policy debate.? (His full statement can be found at pp. S13357-S13358 of the Congressional Record, but... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Provision , Position , Urge

A Short History of North Korea's Nuclear Program, Part I
2007-10-24 06:09:00
*Special guest post by Eli Lewine We have reached yet another crossroads in the future of the North Korean nuclear program. Decisions about economic aid and reactor disablement are in progress at this very moment and by the end of the year we may have further concrete evidence that the North is ready to abandon its nuclear ambitions and begin the process of becoming a part of the international community. Yet there is little reflection on how and why the North Koreans got into the nuclear game in the first place. To begin, we?ll need to take a spin in the way-back machine as the seeds of... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: History , Nuclear , Part , Program

Congressional Schedule for DoD and DoE Bills
2007-10-24 02:38:00
Provided below is an updated schedule of Congressional action on key Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Energy (DoE) bills, as prepared by David Culp of FCNL. Note: These dates are estimates and subject to delay. [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Schedule , Bills

National Security Legislative Wrap-up, October 15-19 2007
2007-10-22 16:27:00
Last week, the House passed one more minor bill on Iraq condemning the State Department for withholding from the public information about corruption in Iraq. Key work on national security issues is being done behind closed doors in House-Senate conference committees. ACTION IN THE LAST WEEK The Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization bill is being considered by a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences between the two bills. The Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Appropriations bill is being considered by a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Security , National , National Security , October , Wrap

Sens. Clinton and McCain on Nuke and Nonpro Issues
2007-10-21 06:33:00
Continuing in its series, Foreign Affairs recently published its third batch of essays by presidential candidates, this time by Sens . Hillary Clinton and John McCain. Provided below are the portions relevant to nuclear weapons and nonproliferation issues; key points are bolded. Security and Opportunity for the Twenty-first Century By Hillary Rodham Clinton ? As the only senator serving on the Transformation Advisory Group established by the U.S. Joint Forces Command, I have had the chance to explore these issues in detail. Ongoing military innovation is essential, but the Bush... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Issues , Nuke , Issue

Yongbyon from Above
2007-10-20 23:39:00
Click below to watch an amazing 3D video flythrough video of the nuclear facilities at Yongbyon, North Korea produced by Satellite Image Corp. (HT to Andreas Persbo of Verification.) Note: This video (22 MB) requires a broadband connection and the QuickTime media player. For a better viewing experience, please wait until the movie has completely downloaded before playing it. [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]

Putin's Tongue-in-Cheek Proposal to Expand the Intermediate-Range Nuclear F
2007-10-19 09:15:00
Over the last six months, Russia has repeatedly indicated that it is considering withdrawing from the Intermediate -Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), an arms control agreement signed in 1987 whereby the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to destroy all ground-launched cruise and ballistic missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 km. A component of a Pershing Missile destroyed in 1988 under the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (photo from the Army's "Pershing Photo Archive") Last Saturday, during high-level talks in Moscow, Putin offered a new angle on the withdrawal... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Proposal , Tongue

U.S.-India Nuclear Deal Near Collapse
2007-10-18 04:50:00
For those who haven't read the good news yet, recent reports indicate that the U.S.-India nuclear deal may be about to collapse. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told President Bush on Monday that "certain difficulties" will prevent the country from moving forward on the pact for the foreseeable future. A major blow to both the Bush and Singh administrations, the deal appears to have been brought down by the Communists who threatened to withdraw from Singh?s coalition government and call for early elections. Despite Bush administration claims that ?it?s not dead,? the outlook is... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Collapse , Nuclear , Deal , Coll

The "Cool War"?
2007-10-17 23:23:00
Elements of Cold War tensions between the United States and Russia seemed to resurface during missile defense talks last week. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates traveled to Russia in an effort to address Russian concerns regarding the U.S. plans to build a missile defense system in the Eastern Europe. Yet Rice's talk of "promises," "the common good," "commitment," and the issues that "unite" the two countries apparently did little to calm Russia's concerns, especially when preceded by statements that the plan to build receptors in Poland and place radar in... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Cool

Philip Coyle on Proposed Missile Defense Cuts
2007-10-15 20:51:00
A little bit delayed but member of the Center's National Advisory Board and senior adviser at CDI, Philip Coyle, recently put out a terrific piece in Defense News (password required) on the proposed cuts to the missile defense sites in Eastern Europe and the Airborne Laser program. Missile Defense Folly: Cuts to Proposed U.S. Site in Europe, ABL, Well Aimed By Philip Coyle Defense News October 1, 2007 U.S. lawmakers have cut the weakest portions of the president?s $10 billion-plus missile defense spending request for 2008: funding for the proposed U.S. missile defense sites in... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
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National Security Legislative Wrap-up, October 8-12 2007
2007-10-15 17:20:00
Last week, the House passed one more minor bill on Iraq written to crack down on war profiteering. This week, the House may adopt a resolution condemning the State Department for withholding from the public information about corruption in Iraq. The Senate returns to session after last week's recess, but has no major national security legislation scheduled. ACTION IN THE LAST WEEK The Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization bill is being considered by a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences between the two bills. The Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Appropriations bill... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Security , National , National Security , October , Wrap

Six-Nation Survey on Nuclear Weapons Yields Mixed Results
2007-10-11 18:30:00
The Simons Foundation and Angus Reid Strategies recently released a six-nation survey on citizens' views toward nuclear weapons. The good news is that over 70% of the publics in Britain, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, and the U.S. think that nuclear weapons make the world a more dangerous place. The bad news is that, in spite of this, opinion in these countries differs significantly as to who should possess nuclear weapons, who should develop them, and when they should be used. Conducted late this summer amidst concerns over nuclear weapon development in Iran and North Korea, issues... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Nuclear , Survey , Results , Nation , Weapons

North Korea: How Far We Have Come
2007-10-10 20:54:00
*Guest post from Eli Lewine One year ago yesterday, the prospect of a nuclear-free Kore a n Peninsula looked grim. Six Party negotiations had ground to a halt over banking sanctions imposed on North Korea by the United States and the parties had not met in close to a year. The North Koreans, ever the provocateurs, decided to push the envelope by conducting their first nuclear test. Countries across the globe expressed their condemnation of the North?s actions and the UN quickly passed another round of sanctions. Yet somehow, this event proved to be a catalyst for rethinking the current... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]

Stars Aligning Against RRW?
2007-10-10 06:27:00
Efforts to build a new generation of nuclear weapons suffered yet another setback with the recent release of a declassified executive summary by JASON, an independent scientific advisory body tasked by Congress to review the technical viability of the Bush administration's plans for a new generation of nuclear warheads. The group concluded that the so-called Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) "needs further development" before it can be certified and enter the U.S. weapons stockpile without underground nuclear testing. In order for this certification to happen, JASON believes "additional... [This is a content summary only. Click on the above link for the full post.]
More About: Stars