By Alfred Nurja
The Washington Post reports November 16 that Iran and the world powers have agreed on a date for starting talks on Iran's nuclear program.
It is welcome news that Viktor Bout, the so-called "Merchant of Death," is on a U.S.-bound plane from Thailand to face criminal charges. As the world's most high profile arms dealer, his extradition shows that it is possible for suspected weapons traffickers to face justice. This is cause for celebration, and also a reminder of why progress is needed on an Arms Trade Treaty and other measures to regulate the conventional arms trade.
By Daryl G. Kimball
The United States Senate reconvenes next week for its post-election lame duck session and has an opportunity to overcome the partisan divide of the election season to support ratification of the New START. If they can agree to set aside two to three days for debate and a vote, the White House and Senate Republicans agree the treaty would be approved.
Why? Because New START makes sense for U.S. national and international security in any language.
H. E. Mr. Nawaf Salam, Ambassador and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Lebanon, deposits Lebanon's instrument of ratification at the United Nations. Photo credit: UN Photo
By Jeff Abramson
During the final panel of ACA's "Next Steps in Arms Control" conference today, the discussion turned to missile defense. Panelists discussed the upcoming NATO summit in Lisbon, the Obama administration's Phased Adaptive Approach (PAA), and the prospects for NATO-Russia cooperation on missile defense.
At today's ACA / Böll Foundation event, Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller delivered the keynote address. She focused on the New START agreement, both making the case for its prompt ratification in the post-election session and providing an assessment of where the process stands now. Among the points she raised were:
Today, the Arms Control Association, along with Heinrich Böll Stiftung, is hosting a conference on "Next Steps in Arms Control: Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense, and NATO" at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC.
Arms Control Now will feature some of the conference's highlights.
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By Matt Sugrue