This month we launched our new website, which has been designed and re-focused on our Getting to Zero programme.
Analysis
Prominent Europeans call for change in NATO nuclear policies
Prominent European statespeople who form a sub-group of the European Leaders Network have released a letter calling on NATO to make “disarmament a core element of its approach to providing security.” In their letter, they encourage the Alliance to “review its entire nuclear policy and posture with a view to facilitating progress in arms control, in a manner consistent with effective burden sharing and alliance cohesion, effective deterrence and a demonstrable commitment to collective defence.”
A Progressive Nuclear Policy: Rethinking Continuous-at-sea deterrence
The United Kingdom has maintained unbroken nuclear weapons patrols since 1968. The rationale for this doctrine of continuous deterrence has been based on several pillars that are irrelevant in today’s environment. Rather than an absolute need for continuous deterrent, there is instead a great opportunity for Britain to take the lead as the most progressive of the nuclear weapons states by reducing the readiness and size of its
strategic force. Article originally published in RUSI Journal, Vol. 155, No. 2.
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Trident expected to be delayed until after next UK general election
Britain's Liberal Democrat armed forces minister, Nick Harvey, indicates that the final decision on the replacement of Trident will be delayed until October 2015 – after the next general election. This would allow the Liberal Democrats and their Conservative coalition partners to do battle over the future of the submarine nuclear missile system in the election campaign.
www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/sep/22/trident-decision-delay-expected-2015.
Nuclear Security after the Washington Summit
The Washington summit on nuclear security delivered some positive outcomes. But it is imperative that states do not now become complacent; there is much still left to do to ensure that nuclear weapons and material do not fall into the wrong hands. The ultimate gauge of the summit’s success will be whether actions now follow words. Published originally in the RUSI Journal, June/July 2010, Vol. 155, No. 3.
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Arabs seek to challenge Israel’s nuclear program at energy summit
“The Israelis and the Americans point to the fact that the Iranians have made a very public commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty – not to acquire nuclear weapons – whereas Israel is legally able to develop its arsenal.”….. “But the legal defense and the defense that Israel developed its weapons a while ago is hardly a defense in terms of justice”
US Senate Foreign Relations Committee votes to send New START to the full Senate
The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee agreed by a 14-4 vote to send the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) to the full Senate for advice and consent to ratification.
The treaty requires support from two-thirds of the full Senate. It is uncertain whether this process will be completed by the end of the year. If the treaty is approved by both Russia and the United States, it will limit their arsenals to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads on each side.
For more information on the New START agreement and the U.S. Senate, see:
Latest on the Trident replacement delay
Suggestions surfaced publicly today that the UK Ministry of Defence is considering a delay to the main gate for Trident replacement – the point at which a decision is taken to start actual construction of the submarines – until 2015/16, after the next election.
BASIC understands that these discussions have been ongoing throughout August, and that the decision has been made on the basis of accountability and the political context.
The thinking goes something like this.