In conjunction with the Obama-Medvedev Summit in Moscow today, the United States and Russia reached a Joint Understanding (White House press release) for establishing new limitations on the number of strategic nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles under the START Follow-on Treaty.
Political developments around nuclear weapons and the “butterfly effect”
During the past month or two, getting to zero has seemed to resemble the early phase of the butterfly effect of Chaos Theory. The thinking goes as follows: the movement of air caused by a butterfly flapping his wings could contribute to the formation of a hurricane, or other major weather event. Without that one extra factor of the flapping of the butterfly's wings, the event may not have occurred. Of course, the flapping of a butterfly's wings alone cannot cause a weather event.
Obama’s nuclear diplomacy
Barack Obama has called for a world free of nuclear weapons and has committed to reducing their number and salience during his administration. His continuing engagement with allies and Russia on nuclear arms control, and the results of posture reviews back home, could result in significant progress.
German statesmen, US policy and opinion shapers declare support for world without nuclear weapons
During the past week, four prominent German statesmen, the new Chair of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a Secretary-designate for the US Department of Energy, and a former lead researcher from one of the US national labs have all made strong public statements in support of the eventual goal of a world without nuclear weapons.
Congressional Commission on the US Strategic Posture releases interim report
The Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States has released an interim report. The 12-page report sets out initial findings, focusing on “stockpile stewardship” and Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) issues (controversies which instigated the Commission's formation).
High-level conference to cover getting to zero
The East-West Institute, in cooperation with BASIC, CNS, NGOCDPS, the Global Security Institute, and other organizations, will host a conference that will include UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Henry Kissinger, Hans Blix and other international experts.
NATO nuclear sharing: Opportunity for change?
There is pressure on the US and NATO to remove nuclear weapons from Europe and an opportunity for change at the forthcoming Alliance summit, where plans are afoot to open the Strategic Concept for rev
Event on nuclear weapons, security, and moral leadership
Speakers including Sergio Duarte, Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, Jonathan Granoff, Jonathan Schell, Naila Bolus, Douglas Roche, and Emilie Townes will contribute to a Yale Divinity School conference on Nuclear Weapons, Security, and Moral Leadership.
Title: Are we safe yet? Vulnerability and security in an anxious age
Date: September 18-19, 2008
Place: Yale Divinity School, New Haven, Connecticut