Nuclear Security News Vol. 2
The New START treaty was ratified nearly six months ago. The fact that the treaty represented a bipartisan agreement to enhance the national security of the United States is still not universally acknowledged. The treaty was not a partisan victory or loss, it was a success for American security and American governance.
Supporters of the New START treaty include senior military, every living former secretary of state, former national security advisors from both parties, and seven former commanders of America’s strategic forces. It received strong bipartisan support from American leaders and was ratified by the Senate because it contributes to a strong defense.
The nuclear arsenal reductions mandated by the treaty have yet to take place and planned investments in American nuclear safety have yet to be made. But the upcoming election season should not be used to resurrect past partisan battles over the treaty. The Consensus for American Security will continue to articulate this message and support an enduring nuclear security consensus for this country.
Dr. Janne Nolan
Director of Nuclear Security, the American Security Project
Featured Consensus for American Security Member
Dr. David Kay
Dr. David Kay is a Senior Fellow at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and provides consulting services with a concentration on counterterrorism and weapons proliferation. He served as the IAEA/UNSCOM Chief Nuclear Weapons Inspector, leading numerous inspections into Iraq following the end of the Gulf War to determine Iraqi nuclear weapons production capability. Dr. Kay has frequently testified before Congress, and his articles have appeared widely in U.S. media and a number of scholarly journals. He has served on a number of official U.S. government delegations and government and private advisory commissions, including the Defense Science Board, U.S. State Department’s Advisory Commission on International Organizations, the Rockefeller Foundation’s Advisory Group on Conflicts in International Relations, and the U.S. Delegation to the UN General Assembly.
The Consensus in Action
On April 14th, Consensus members Gen. John Castellaw and Gen. Arlen Jameson visited the offices of the Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) to discuss the future of the nuclear security agenda.
Later that day, several Consensus members attended a Senate Observer Working Group dinner at the Cosmos Club hosted by the American Security Project. David Kay of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and Geoffrey Kemp of the Center for the National Interest discussed ways to forge a domestic consensus about strategies for addressing the Iranian nuclear program. This was followed by a lively discussion in which experts from both sides of the aisle offered their insights into this critical issue.
On April 15th, Consensus member Gen. John Adams briefed a select group of officials and experts in Washington DC about ideas for forging a trans-Atlantic and domestic consensus on missile defense.
Nuclear Security News
After Osama bin Laden’s Death, Questions about Nuclear Safety in Pakistan
The United States raid that killed Osama bin Laden in a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan on May 1st, brought justice to the world’s most wanted terrorist. It also prompted some concerns about the role and security of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons arsenal, however, which reportedly includes over 100 warheads. A Reuters analysis warned that “Revelations that Osama bin Laden spent years in Pakistan before he was killed there must be rattling anyone who believes al Qaeda and its allies can get their hands on the unstable country’s nuclear arsenal.” Former IAEA nuclear inspector Olli Heinonen said that the discovery of bin Laden’s whereabouts should “raise the alarm” about Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program.
Although concerns about Pakistan’s nuclear stewardship should not be overstated, the United States must remain aware of the dangers posed by unsecured nuclear material and technology around the world. Terrorist groups, such as al Qaeda, are known to be actively seeking nuclear weapons. The United States must work with its partners, including Pakistan, to ensure that they are not successful.
Missile Defense Test Declared Successful
According to the Missile Defense Agency, an Aegis SM-3 Block Ia interceptor successful destroyed an intermediate range ballistic missile by colliding with it. An MDA press release stated:
Initial indications are that all components performed as designed. Program officials will spend the next several months conducting an extensive assessment and evaluation of system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test.
As American missile defense capabilities improve, policymakers and military planners must ensure that missile defenses are developed and deployed in a manner that supports and enhances sound American strategy.
Former Mossad Chief Warns Against Israeili Strikes on Iran
Meir Dagan, former head of the Israeli intelligence service, sharply criticized the idea of an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Earlier this month, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Haaretz that he did not believe that Iran would use a nuclear weapon against his country. “Not on us and not on any other neighbor,” he said.
The advancing Iranian nuclear program is a troubling development for American security. The United States needs to craft strategies that can combine a range of tools for pressuring Iran. A quick air campaign is not likely to effectively terminate Iranian nuclear ambitions.
