Both Washington and Tehran are both balking at the EU’s draft IAEA resoution. The resolution hints that the IAEA will refer Iran to the Security Council if it resumes uranium enrichment. That goes too far for Tehran and not far enough for Washington. I expect Washington to back down, having no leverage—but we’ll see. Global …
Controversial Nuclear Programs Axed
by | 2004-11-23 | No Comments
In June, ArmsControlWonk.com reported that Representative David Hobson (R-OH), chairman of the House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee, had eliminated almost $100 million worth of nuclear weapons related spending in the FY 2005 Appropriations Bill including: * $27.6 million for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, * $ 9.0 million for research into low-yield nuclear warheads, …
A European Perspective on Iran
by | 2004-11-23 | No Comments
Peter Beaumont, writing in the British paper The Observer, captures my feelings about the role of domestic politics in Iran perfectly. The European view, which has sought to negotiate a uranium enrichment freeze rather than confront Tehran, is more subtle and factors in the full spectrum of Iran’s intentions. Iran, seen from this vantage point, …
Overwhelming ABM systems: FOIA Can Be a Real Bitch
by | 2004-11-23 | No Comments
In March 1969, Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird was asked “Did the deployment by the Russians of their antiballistic missile system around Moscow and Leningrad encourage us to negotiate or didn’t it encourage us to retaliate …” Laird replied, “I don’t think we really retaliated.” Oh really? The Soviet Union deployed ballistic missile defense systems …
