What Does Article IV Mean?
One of the perennial debates that rages in the comments section of this blog is about the meaning of article IV of the NPT. As a quick recap, recall that article IV.1 states that Nothing in this Treaty shall be…
Arms Control Wonk
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Forden on Safir-e Omid
I am back from Ithaca. Funny story: Ted Postol walks into our meeting, laughing, haven taken a phone call from a reporter. The poor man was desperate, having tried to track down Ted, Geoff Forden, David Wright, me and others…
W76 LEP Completely Baked
Mr. Braddock: Don’t you think that idea is a little half-baked? Benjamin: Oh no, Dad, it’s completely baked. Frank Munger explains that workers at Y12 turned the heat up a little too much on some subassemblies: OAK RIDGE – A…
BUFF Blogging for Arms Control
Friend of Wonk Marc Schanz reprises the popular “BUFF Blogging” series to ask how changes in the US B-52 fleet will affect nuclear missions and arms control agreements: I realize I haven’t reanimated the popular BUFF Blogging feature in some…
UCS Convention Ads
The Union of Concerned Scientists has placed ads in the Minneapolis-St. Paul and Denver airports, calling on Senators Obama and McCain to “get serious about reducing the nuclear threat.” Above is a picture of the ad on display in Minneapolis.…
More SS-sumthin' Pics
Hey folks! So much missile stuff lately — the National Academies has released its final report on conventonal prompt global strike and Iran claims to have launched a two stage missile (The Taepo-hab?). I am in Ithaca attending a technical…
Did Russia Fire SS-26s at Georgia?
Update: It has become clear to me that the Iskander is a modified SS-26 that should have a different SS-number. See the testimony of DIA Director Maples. Anya Loukianova, blogging at Total Wonkerr observes that the Georgian Interior Ministry claims…
India NSG Exemption in Danger?
Anonymous diplomats tell Reuter’s Boris Groendahl that they may delay India’s NSG exemption: But diplomats from several NSG member states said the draft fell behind earlier U.S. proposals, had unacceptable clauses and omissions, and went against existing U.S. laws on…
W76 LEP Back on Track
The W76 Life Extension Program is back on track — although NNSA officials won’t confirm that they had trouble producing FOGBANK. Frank Munger reports from Y-12: Federal officials today confirmed that workers at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant had completed…
Missile Defense Quid Pro Quo
Apparently, Poland gets a PAC-3 battery and US personnel as a tripwire, er defensive measure in exchange for hosting the European midcourse interceptor site: A senior Pentagon official described an unusual part of this quid pro quo: an American Patriot…