Avatar photoChirac and Iran – Nothin' New

I hate to contradict Scott Gearity, whose Export Control Blog is really sweet, but I have to disagree with his take on this Haaretz piece. According to the article: French President Jacques Chirac has told Haaretz that if European negotiations with Iran fail to eliminate the threat of nuclear proliferation, then the issue will have …

Avatar photoTrey Obering is a Fool

Or not: MDA spokesman Rick Lehner provided a transcript of Obering’s statement that is (1) different from what the WaPo reported and (2) consistent with policy. Lehner’s transcript is the second comment. I’ve added another post on the subject. Director of the Missile Defense agency, Lieutenant General Henry A. “Trey” Obering III, reportedly told a …

Avatar photoPritchard on US Korea Policy

Jack Pritchard has a hell of an article about US Korea policy in UNIDIR’s Disarmament Forum. Although written before North Korea’s return to Six Party Talks, Pritchard’s history of the last round helps explain why North Korea came back. DPRK participation in the multilateral process seems designed to placate Beijing and prevent Washington from taking …

Avatar photoWhat we have here is a failure to operate

Now these guys knew how to operate. George W. Bush loves missile defense. Loves, loves, loves. So does Donald Rumsfeld. And Dick Cheney. So do a legion of members of Congress, most of them Republicans. For that matter, so do most Americans. At least they like the idea of it. (Sadly, if you poll them, …