- Iran reported to be feeling effects of recently-imposed international sanctions
- Energy business with Iran continues despite sanctions
- Nuclear talks still possibility for Autumn
- Military threat
- Bushehr nuc
Russia
START expiration ends U.S. inspection of Russian nuclear bases
This Washington Post article by Mary Beth Sheridan recounts how the United States has lost the ability to peek into the Russian nuclear arsenal because the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), along with its accompanying verification measures, expired without a replacement in force.
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It’s a no-brainer: ratify the arms control treaty
“In the last few weeks, watching the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings on New START unfold, I have sometimes felt like shouting out 'Senators, get a world view,' because in the minutiae of 18 public hearings, the bigger picture has been lost.”
Excerpt from article by BASIC Program Director Anne Penketh, written for The Hill's Congress Blog.
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USA is being irrational towards Iran – political analyst
“I think the whole point of what Admiral Mullen said over the weekend was to tell the Iranians that actually the Americans mean business. Otherwise, if you look at the timeline, we are not talking about any kind of military action anytime soon.”
BASIC Program Director Anne Penketh interviewed by RT News. Read more and watch video:
http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-08-02/usa-behaves-irrationally-iran.html?fullstory
Obama’s Half-Hearted Nuclear Turnaround
“There's no real indication of the deep shifts in thinking necessary to begin giving up the nuclear fix.”
BASIC Executive Director Paul Ingram quoted by Spiegel Online. Read more:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,687640,00.html
Stopping New START?
This BASIC Backgrounder covers the essential developments in the Senate ratification hearings for the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between the United States and Russia on reductions to their deployed long-range nuclear weapons arsenal.
Getting to Zero Update
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review conference concluded at the end of May on a positive note. However, the months ahead look uncertain. Diplomatic relations over the North Korean and Iranian programs continue to deteriorate, and there still lacks a firm indication on whether the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) will be ratified by the end of the year.
June 2010
June was a busy month as BASIC’s Executive Director toured Europe to discuss nuclear disarmament in the aftermath of the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference.