Is the Musudan Real?
The other day, I posted an entry at 38North outlining three scenarios for North Korea — that North Korea would eventually test a Musudan, that China has stayed Kim Jong Un’s hand for the moment and that North Korean politics…
Arms Control Wonk
Latest · page 115
Ritualized Anxieties over BMD
In November 1996, I had the good fortune to attend an ISODARCO conference in Chengdu, with the added bonus of a side trip to visit China’s nuclear laboratory complex at Mianyang. Back then, ISODARCO – an enterprising Italian NGO founded…
FYRP: This Will Be on the Test
After escaping the clutches of a term paper draft, it returns! Associated Press | Whoops. Seems like the people in charge of the most powerful weapons known to man just weren’t up to the job, and needed a bit of…
Inspections at Minot
I have a new column up at Foreign Policy (“Death Wears Bunny Slippers”) considering this recent story at the Air Force has suspended 17 ICBM launch officers are Minot Air Force Base and initiated proceedings against another. The column is…
Traffic Wardens and Kim Posters
I have a column up at 38North discussing whether North Korea will test a Musudan anytime soon (“Pit or Get Off the Shot“) — with a bottle of the local plonk riding on the outcome with Joel Wit. I touched…
Saving Cities
Aspiring wonks, here is your end-of-semester exam question: It’s not OK to use cluster munitions in metropolitan areas, but it is OK to use nuclear weapons against targets that fall within or close to them. Yes? No? Under some circumstances?…
Anon O’Moose on Missile Defense
One of our more engaged commentators sent along the following open letter to Representative Michael Turner (R-OH), commenting on some of the more interesting statements in his latest letter to the President Barack Obama. He chose the nom de plume…
FYRP: The Price of Doing Business
After a brief (SAT-induced) hiatus, it has returned! Washington Examiner | Congressmen Doug Lamborn and Trent Franks give us their views on President Obama’s missile defense plans. Space-based interceptors are still needed, they say. How much that would cost? And how practical…
Shyam Saran on India’s Nuclear Deterrent
Update | May 7. Here is the full text of the speech. On April 24th, the Chairman of India’s National Security Advisory Board, Shyam Saran, delivered an important address in New Delhi affirming the credibility of India’s nuclear deterrent. Mr.…
The Commitment Trap
Scott Sagan wrote a typically fine essay in the Spring 2000 issue of International Security on “The Commitment Trap.” His subject was the Bush administration’s use of “calculated ambiguity” to deter Saddam Hussein from using chemical or biological weapons in…