It is a quarter of a century since the Cold War. Yet the debate over nuclear weapons has the shadow of that ideological struggle hanging over it, and investment decisions are being taken that will commit states to deploying nuclear weapons for half a century from now.
Analysis
The state of the UK and European debates on nuclear weapons
On Thursday October 15th, BASIC and the Federation of American Scientists will hosted a joint discussion on the state of the UK and European nuclear weapons debates, and the importance of this in a global context.
Labour and Trident Now
This week's non-debate of Trident at the Labour Party conference is now an opportunity to reframe the issue and set the UK on a more stable path towards a non-nuclear future. But it will take collaboration between people on different sides of the current divide.
We now need an informed Trident debate
Rising above petty politics
The nature and quality of the media storm since Jeremy Corbyn’s election as leader of the Labour Party, when criticising his open-ended position over the EU, his wearing a peace poppy when remembering past conflicts, or his position on Trident, betrays a group-think pack mentality that is out of touch with the disillusionment of many people with anodyne mainstream positional politics.
Nuclear Weapons: FAQ
This factsheet outlines the answers some very frequently asked and core questions about nuclear weapons.…
Why It’s Impossible to Hide Nuclear Work in 24 Days — Or 24 Years
“One of the most misleading distortions being floated by political opponents of the Iran nuclear deal is the “24-day” loophole meme: Iran would be able to hide all evidence of any nefarious nuclear weapons work during the 24 days it may take inspectors to gain access to a suspicious site,” wrote Yousaf Butt in this commentary piece about Iran's nuclear program for Jakarta Globe.
Iran, the JCPoA and the Future of the Non-Proliferation Regime
The non-proliferation regime appears to have stagnated since the previous Review Conference in 2010. It involves deep complexity and relies upon shared norms, but these alone are insufficient for states to have the necessary confidence essential to its success.
Political Considerations of the Iran Deal
A 2007 US National Intelligence Estimate report concluded that Iran had halted any research related to nuclear weapons in 2003. It categorically stated that this was a result of Iran’s cost-benefit approach.