Topic: Arms Control Association

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Opinion 50 years after Cuban missile crisis: 5 ways US must promote nuclear nonproliferation

Fifty years after the Cuban missile crisis brought the world to the brink of a nuclear holocaust, the threats posed by the bomb still hang over us all. The next US president must pursue a nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament “stimulus plan.” It should include the following elements.

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North Korean missiles: Could US shoot them down? (+video)

The Pentagon has been deploying more missile-defense ground batteries and ships to East Asia. Here's a rundown of the three-tiered system that the US could use to counter North Korean missiles.
Why the Iran threat assessment may be easing – for now

Iran's unexpectedly slow missile progress, a dialed down 'covert war,' and uranium enrichment changes may yield more room for diplomacy over the country's nuclear program.
Pressure mounts on Obama to change tactics on Iran

In a letter to the White House, Iran experts insisted diplomacy, not further sanctions, will have the best results. But US actions since then indicate more sticks than carrots.
North Korea rocket test shows long road to credible missiles

Experts say Pyongyang is years from even having a shot at developing reliable missiles that could bombard distant targets, though it did gain attention and the outrage of world leaders with its first successful launch of a three-stage, long-range rocket.
Opinion How the US can prevent the use and spread of Syria's chemical weapons

The conflict in Syria could become even more deadly if Bashar al-Assad uses or loses control of his sizeable arsenal of chemical weapons. The international community’s options to prevent these scenarios are limited, but they do provide a starting point.
Global News Blog How deadly would chemical weapons in Syria be?

Concerns that the Syrian regime would use chemical weapons are putting the spotlight on these weapons of mass destruction.
Syria: first state with WMDs to topple? (+video)

Never before has a country with Weapons of Mass Destruction been on the verge of collapse, says an arms control expert who argues for regional coordination to prevent a catastrophe.
Opinion 50 years after Cuban missile crisis: 5 ways US must promote nuclear nonproliferation

Fifty years after the Cuban missile crisis brought the world to the brink of a nuclear holocaust, the threats posed by the bomb still hang over us all. The next US president must pursue a nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament “stimulus plan.” It should include the following elements.
Benjamin Netanyahu: Iran is almost to the brink (+video)

At the United Nations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu drew a clear red line in hope that Iran will back down from a path towards nuclear weapon development. Three rounds of talks with Iran this year have not yet lead the country to halt its nuclear program.
3 views on what the US should do about Iran's nuclear program

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly Wednesday, saying Iran is under a "continued threat by the uncivilized Zionists." As the fourth installment of our One Minute Debate series for election 2012, three writers give their brief take on what the United States should do about Iran's nuclear program.
Opinion Time to curb the illicit global arms trade

Conventional weapons that are sold or diverted to unscrupulous regimes, criminals, and terrorist groups kill hundreds of thousands of civilians every year in places like Syria and Sudan. World leaders must act soon on an arms trade treaty being negotiated this month at the United Nations.
Why Iranian engineers attended North Korea's failed rocket launch

Iranian rocket specialists were at the launch of North Korea's failed rocket test last week, according to South Korean reports. North Korea and Iran have long cooperated on long-range missiles.
Terrorism & Security Israel, US dismiss Iran's most recent nuclear progress claims

Iran made a show yesterday of the loading of domestically produced fuel rods and installment of new centrifuges. Israel and the US see the moves as bravado.
Iran's good cop, bad cop act: agrees to talks, flaunts nuclear advances

Iran has agreed to return to talks about its nuclear program. But it also trumpeted advances in that nuclear program, showing that it wants to bargain from a position of strength.
Opinion How Obama can slash defense budget: Cut unnecessary nuclear weapons programs

In order to reach its goal of at least $480 billion in Pentagon savings over the next decade, the Obama administration must scale back previous schemes for a new generation of strategic nuclear weapons delivery systems.
Opinion Beyond Viktor Bout: How to stop the next 'Lord of War'

Viktor Bout, the world's most notorious arms trafficker escaped trial for decades by exploiting a patchwork of international laws on arms trade. His case underscores the need for an international Arms Trade Treaty to regulate arms sales and hold "merchants of death" accountable.
10/19/2011 12:36 pm
Iran accelerates uranium enrichment: Danger or bluff?

Western experts aren't sure why Iran is speeding up its nuclear enrichment. Is it bravado for domestic political consumption or a genuine move toward developing weapons that can be hidden from attack?
06/11/2011 10:09 am
New START treaty: How will next efforts for nuclear weapons reduction fare?

The Senate ratified the new START treaty by a vote of 71 to 26. But this could turn out to be the high-water mark in Obama’s efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
12/22/2010 04:56 pm
Opinion Chief obstacle to Iran's nuclear effort: its own bad technology

Continuing technical challenges mean Iran is still probably 3 to 5 years away from acquiring a nuclear bomb. Diplomats should exploit that leverage.
12/08/2010 10:48 am
New Iran nuclear talks: What can West hope to accomplish?

A US official downplays any hope of a breakthrough in talks this week on the Iran nuclear program. Western negotiators are hoping for some gesture of good faith from Iran.
12/06/2010 04:27 pm
Can UN's latest Iran sanctions be a game-changer?

This new round of Iran sanctions, approved Wednesday by the UN Security Council, won't on its own stop Iran's nuclear program, say most analysts. But it will raise the cost Tehran pays, both diplomatic and financial, for its nuclear pursuits.
06/09/2010 08:32 pm
NPT 101: Clash between nuclear haves and have-nots

The review of the NPT – the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty – in New York this month pits Iran against Western powers suspicious of Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Iran's fight for nuclear 'rights' resonates with many countries around the world.
05/04/2010 09:07 am
NPT 101: Why Iran sees nuclear 'hypocrisy'

Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad argued at the NPT Review Conference that the US, the only nation to use a nuclear bomb in war, has not lived up to its promises of nonproliferation. Iran seeks help from the NPT to level the playing field.
05/03/2010 06:14 pm
Iran nuclear program takes another step up escalation ladder

Iran announced its intentions Monday to begin processing its uranium stockpile to a higher level of enrichment. Nuclear energy experts say the country is taking yet another step toward producing a nuclear weapon, though a bomb is still years away.
02/08/2010 03:39 pm
The roots of Iran's nuclear program

It's quest to develop a nuclear program has taken a circuitous path through history – and includes early cooperation with the US.
11/30/2009 12:00 am