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.
Russia
Zero: Creating the conditions for abolishing nuclear weapons
David Miliband, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, gave a speech yesterday at IISS, London, for the presentation of a governmental survey on the conditions for abolishing nuclear weapons. Overall, it was not a groundbreaking speech. However, it is worthwhile noting that the Secretary of State stressed two main points:
Toughness as tactics: Dmitri Trenin’s speech to Chatham House
Russia and the US/NATO
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).
Improving nuclear security in 2009 and beyond: Transatlantic options for the new Administration.
Experts shared their views on what the next U.S. administration should do to manage the urgent threat from nuclear weapons and how it could take advantage of transatlantic relationships. The event was co-sponsored by BASIC and Women in International Security, at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC.
Please see the attached document (PDF) for a summary.
Russian resurgence and diplomacy
Whether the Russian operation against Georgia was premeditated or not, the leadership has used it effectively to strengthen nationalistic support within the country, and to challenge the view domestically and internationally of expanding, unbridled US dominance.
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
Bilateral nuclear disarmament strategies after the Ossetian conflict: A personal perspective
One of my second or third reactions to the news last Friday was shock over the impact on our agenda that depends so heavily upon establishing a positive relationship between the US and Russia. I have been avoiding being pessimistic in public because that doesn't help anyone, but it really doesn't look good. From my perspective, though, while the Russian response on Friday was undoubtedly disproportionate, it would be wrong to characterize this as Russia displaying a disinterest in negotiations with the United States and instead challenging democracy head-on.