It was with genuine and deep sadness that I learnt yesterday of the death of Sir Michael Quinlan, aged 78, on Thursday. In a career within the UK civil service that spanned 40 years, Sir Michael served in a variety of roles and departments, including as Permanent Under-Secretary (the most senior civil servant) at the …
Presidential Policy Directives
by | 2009-02-27 | 1 Comment
It’s out! We now know that the Obama NSC has named it’s National Security Council-related directives Presidential Policy Directives or PPDs — thanks to Steve Aftergood who has posted a copy of PPD-1. I am mildly obsessed by this topic of what Administrations call these documents — every President chooses something different. Since Nixon, Republican …
Debating Disarmament
by | 2009-02-26 | 23 Comments
Last September, George Perkovich and I published an Adelphi Paper, Abolishing Nuclear Weapons, which attempted to identify the challenges of getting to zero and how they might be overcome. Most of all, however, it called for serious international debate on the subject. We have made an effort to catalyze such debate with our new book …
Unha/Taepodong Test Imminent
by | 2009-02-25 | 13 Comments
Pollack the Wit — no relation to Joe — links to KCNA’s announcement that “preparations for launching experimental communications satellite Kwangmyongsong-2 by means of delivery rocket Unha-2 are now making brisk headway …” I observe no references, prior to February 24, 2009, describing North Korea’s rocket as “Unha” and I certainly don’t see any references …
