Digests and Blog

Dr. Colin Kahl, Associate Professor in the Security Studies Program and Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security and Dr. Matthew Kroenig, Assistant Professor in the Department of Government and Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations at a similar debate held at the Mortara Center for International Studies in March.By Ari Kattan Colin Kahl and Matthew Kroenig engaged in another debate last week in their ongoing back-and-forth over the timing and utility of a potential preventive attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. The now-famous debate between these…

Today, the U.S. National Academies of Science released its long-awaited update on technical issues related to the CTBT in Washington. The independent panel of senior scientific and military experts was charged with reviewing technical changes related to the U.S. nuclear stockpile and to nuclear explosion test monitoring that have occurred in the ten years since the NAS’ 2002 report on the subject. The study was requested by the Barack Obama administration in 2009 following the President’s call for “immediately” pursuing reconsideration and ratification of the treaty. Although the report…

President Obama greets attendes after delivering remarks during a visit to Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul on March 26, 2012. (Image Source: LA Times)By Daryl G. Kimball On Monday President Barack Obama delivered a major address on his nuclear security agenda at Hankuk University in Seoul as he and other leaders gather for the second international Nuclear Security Summit. The bulk of his remarks focused on the progress made to secure nuclear weapons usable materials, but he also provided a status report on his broader nuclear risk reduction agenda three years after his stirring…

A German Luftwaffe Tornado fighter-bomber. By Oliver Meier As NATO works to revise its nuclear and deterrence strategy in time for its May 2012 Summit in Chicago, Germany is pushing for changes in the Alliance's declaratory policy and for a stronger role of NATO in arms control and disarmament. Yet at the same time, Berlin is trying to dodge a debate about the deployment of new types of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe. The recent replies by the German government to a set of more than 100 questions asked by the Social Democrats in the Bundestag on Germany's nuclear arms control, disarmament and…

By Kelsey Davenport The Arms Control Association and the Partnership for Global Security released a report today that tracks the progress countries have made toward completion of the national commitments made at the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit. The report concludes that approximately 80 percent of these commitments have been completed. To read the full report, The Nuclear Security Summit: Assessment of National Commitments, click here. While these achievements are laudable and countries should be commended for following through on their pledges of action, it is important to emphasize that…

By Daryl G. Kimball Today, the people of Japan and people the world over pause to remember the nearly 20,000 people killed and unaccounted for as a result of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster. An aerial view of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power, two weeks after the tsunami struck Japan. Japan is also still reeling from the man-made nuclear reactor meltdown calamity at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi complex, which will exact an enormous human, environmental, and economic price for decades to come. And, of course, we are still learning about the causes of Fukushima disaster, how…

North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex (AP). By Daryl G. Kimball Today, the U.S. State Department announced that the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) has agreed to implement a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions, long-range missile launches and other nuclear activities, including enrichment at its Yongbyon nuclear complex and to allow U.N. nuclear watchdog inspectors in to ensure compliance. The State Department also said that the United States had agreed to finalize details of a proposed food aid package and to take other steps to improve bilateral ties. According to the…

On February 29, the U.S. State Department announced that the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) has agreed to implement a moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions, long-range missile launches and other nuclear activities, including enrichment at its Yongbyon nuclear complex and to allow U.N. nuclear watchdog inspectors in to ensure compliance. North Korea is the only country that has conducted nuclear test explosions in the past decade, with tests in 2006 and 2009. The State Department also said that the United States had agreed to finalize details of a proposed food aid…

The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) celebrated its 15th anniversary February 17, 2012. Established in 1997 following the opening for signature of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the organization has matured and its global monitoring capabilities have improved, particularly in the paste decade. Speaking at an event marking the anniversary at the CTBTO’s headquarters in Vienna, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged all countries, particularly those whose ratifications are necessary for entry into force, to sign and/or ratify the Treaty without delay. To date, 157…

The Natanz enrichment complex. (UPDATED at 7:50pm EST) By Peter Crail and Daryl G. Kimball The latest quarterly IAEA report on Iran is now in circulation and provides an updated summary of Iran's nuclear activities and capabilities. The Feb. 24 report suggests that Iran is continuing to make steady progress expanding its enrichment capabilities, but it does not identify any breakthroughs. It also confirms initial impressions that Iran's announcements last week on a series of "nuclear advances" were hyped. Here is our brief summary of key takeaways: Fordow Repurposed Again The agency notes…