I have a commentary over at 38 North about the political symbolism of North Korea’s construction/excavation activities near the ruins of the Yongbyon reactor’s cooling tower: What is clear is the political symbolism of the site itself. The Six Party Process, at least as we knew it, is dead and buried. The trucks and other …
Test Ban Wonkery: Streaming Live
by | 2010-10-14 | 1 Comment
Many years ago, I managed to convince VERTIC’s then Executive Director, Michael Crowley, to send me on a two day trip to Vienna just to meet with our friends at the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization. During those days, the treaty’s verification regime was still half built, and the building was buzzing with activity. …
North Korean-Iranian Cooperation
by | 2010-10-13 | 17 Comments
Earlier this week, the appearance of an Iranian-style nosecone on a North Korean missile raised eyebrows all over the wonk-o-sphere. That the two countries cooperate in missile development is not exactly new news, but the images from Kim Il Sung Square gave eloquent testimony to this relationship. But just how far does the technical collaboration …
Win, Lose or Draw?
by | 2010-10-12 | 27 Comments
Several chroniclers of The Bomb have concluded that the term “nuclear strategy” is an oxymoron. The dilemmas of crafting a nuclear strategy and planning to execute are best dealt with on paper. But even on paper, dilemmas are hard to finesse or work around — including the most basic question of what the user hopes …
