The Button
Is that a plastic model of Obama with his hand on the proverbial button? Turns out, it is a little red phone. The product is an “Obama 3 am Phone Call Squeezable Figure.” It reminds my of my favorite Onion…
Arms Control Wonk
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China Exports SWU
Did you know that China occasionally exports enrichment services? I didn’t. But, sure enough, they do from time to time.
Worth the Wait
Big Brother and the Holding Company I could do without, but I’ve been waiting four decades for someone with Janis Joplin’s raw talent and intensity. Finally, along comes Brittany Howard of the Alabama Shakes. Patience can sometimes be rewarded. There…
Nunn Lugar Prize
The Carnegie Corporation of New York and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace are celebrating their 100th birthdays by creating a $50,000 prize to recognize individuals or institutions dedicated to advancing the cause of nuclear security. The prize is named after it’s…
On That Aeroflot Advert
Update | 1 September 2012 The image is from the 2011, not 2012, Victory Day Parade. I managed to find a high-resolution aerial shot of the 2012 Parade that allows us to exclude 2012 That would make the second set…
GMD vs. North Korean ICBMs, Ctd.
Back in April, I asked how the Ground-based Midcourse Defense might be adapted in response to North Korea’s nascent (or embryonic) ICBM force. Thanks to Steven Aftergood of FAS, we now have the official answer. It’s included in the replies to Questions for the…
Reciprocal Unilateral Measures
“Reciprocal unilateral measures” is not my favorite phrase, despite my rather considerable affection for some of the people who have made use of it. There is nothing wrong with the concept, mind you, but RUMs? Ugh. The term is back…
Small Change or Big Investment?
Last Sunday, the Washington Post ran my op-ed suggesting that the United States pursue a space Code of Conduct with Beijing, not only to foster norms relating to debris mitigation, space traffic management and purposeful, harmful interference, but also as…
Deterring Syria’s CW
A minor miracle the other day. U.S. President Barack Obama drew a “red line” concerning Syria’s chemical weapons. Everyone understood what he meant. No one thought he was threatening to nuke Syria. Hallelujah!
IAEA Inspectors’ Risk in Iran
In a phone call at one o’clock in the morning on March 17, 2003, the U.S. Ambassador to the IAEA, Kenneth Brill, advised IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei to remove his inspectors from Baghdad immediately. The following day, the IAEA gave orders for personnel to leave Iraq.…