The Trident Commission report on Britain’s nuclear weapons policy aims to distill core national security arguments and challenge vague pro-renewal stances. Public and political engagement remain minimal despite the crucial timing and evolving global threats. The Commission debates Britain’s independent nuclear deterrence and its role in NATO, ultimately questioning the alignment of current policies with global disarmament goals.
Analysis
We Need to Talk… About Nukes
BASIC and WMD Awareness kicked off their Talking Trident: A Conversation with the Next Generation dialogue series with an event on July 9th at RichMix in Shoreditch/Bethnal Green, London.
Are nuclear weapons cut out to meet the security challenges of the next generation?
This is a hard question to answer because of the complexity in trying to predict the future. We have some idea of what international security challenges we may face in one, five, and even ten years time, but further than that our predictions become educated guesses.
Building Dialogue: The Trident Commission and our nuclear future
Dialogue is the most crucial ingredient in determining a future where we no longer live in the shadow of nuclear destruction. Without dialogue we will not be able to overcome the widespread orthodoxy that claims it is now impossible for nuclear weapons to be abolished. Without dialogue we will not be able to convince potential proliferators not to take the nuclear path.
BBC Radio Scotland interviews Paul Ingram on Trident Commission conclusions
This podcast is a radio interview given by Paul Ingram (Executive Director of BASIC) to BBC Radio Scotland. The interview concerns the recent launch of the concluding report of the Trident Commission which found that the UK should keep a nuclear deterrent but that multilateral reductions and disarmament are possible and desirable.
Listen to the broadcast – available below, or via the Podomatic website.
Against the Tide: Why the Trident Commission’s views are outdated and out of touch
The Trident Commission, spearheaded by BASIC, launched its concluding report on July 1st, and it is expected to add significant value to the debate on whether or not to keep Britain’s nuclear deterrent. As part of that debate, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has written a report which almost point by point rebuts the Trident Commission's findings.
U.K. Independent Panel: Retain Trident Subs, But Explore Delay Options
The Trident Commission, spearheaded by BASIC, launched its concluding report on July 1st, and it is expected to add significant value to the debate on whether or not to keep Britain’s nuclear deterrent. An article by Elaine Grossman in the National Journal explores the various viewpoints concerning the report's findings, and emphasizes BASIC's involvement as the organizers of the report. The article does not argue a stance, but rather clearly and in some detail lays out the arguments and counterarguments advances by the report and those in opposition to its conclusions.
Nuclear deterrent ‘must be renewed’
The Trident Commission, spearheaded by BASIC, launched its concluding report on July 1st, and it is expected to add significant value to the debate on whether or not to keep Britain’s nuclear deterrent. An article in the Halifax Courier considers the report's findings from multiple viewpoints, including commentary from Admiral Zambellas, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, who argues that the UK requires a “credible deterrent” which means a full complement of four nuclear submarines and two aircraft carriers.