This week in the United States, Chuck Hagel’s nomination to the position of Secretary of Defense is expected to come up for a vote in the Senate Armed Services Committee as early as Thursday, where the former Senator recently underwent a fiery barrage of questioning from fellow Republicans over his positions on Iran and the U.S. nuclear arsenal last week.
USA
Nuclear Deterrence Summit: February 19-22
BASIC partnered with the Exchange Monitor to host a panel discussion during the Annual Nuclear Deterrence Summit in Arlington, Virginia, February 19-22, 2013.
The role of civil society in preventing nuclear catastrophe
This week the 24th United Nations Conference on Disarmament Issues, 'Creating a Peaceful and Safe Future: Pressing Issues and Potential Solutions', takes place in Shizuoka, Japan. Topics delegates will be discussing this year include humanitarian issues on the use of nuclear weapons, Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones, current challenges to the nuclear non-proliferation regime, the role of civil society and nuclear safety and security.
Reagan’s chief arms control negotiator dies, 92
Leading U.S. statesman, Ambassador Max Kampelman died last Friday. He has been credited with shaping US policy in the arena of human rights relations with the Soviet Union in the early 1980s, and as helping to create the diplomatic conditions that preceded the end of the Cold War.
Brian Eno chats with Tom Robinson
Former BASIC board member Brian Eno was featured on the Tom Robinson show on BBC Radio 6, discussing his career, involvement with BASIC, and interest in reducing nuclear dangers. Brian explains: 'We still have tens of thousands of ready to go nuclear weapons and they are still as dangerous as they once were…by luck nothing has gone wrong with them.
Strategic Dialogue on Nuclear Weapons Spending: What Does the United States Need and Why?
BASIC held its fourth Strategic Dialogue event, asking presenters to reflect on how the United States should approach possible spending cuts to its nuclear forces.
Ten ways Obama’s second term will shape Britain
Alex Stevensen from Politics.co.uk interviewed Paul Ingram in this article about the most important challenges facing newly inaugurated Barack Obama in his second term. On the issue of Middle East diplomacy, Stevensen writes that both London and Washington want to see engagement with Tehran, but Paul Ingram belives that Obama is 'boxed in' with anti-Iranian sentiment on the Hill.
Read the full article on Politics.co.uk:
Nuclear Deterrence Summit
BASIC is partnering with the Exchange Monitor to host a panel discussion during the Annual Nuclear Deterrence Summit in Arlington, Virginia, February 19-22, 2013.