Iran’s Nuclear Program
FAS releases a new Special Report today on “Towards Enhanced Safeguards for Iran’s Nuclear Program”.
Background Info:
BACKGROUND: 2011 September 29, International Herald Tribune: “An Iran Offer Worth Considering” 2011 September 14, The National: ”Behind the Scenes Politics at Play in Ahmadinejad’s Trip” 2011 September 13, The Atlantic: ”On Iran’s Nuclear Program, Science Contradicts Rhetoric” 2011 September 11, Foreign Policy: “Waiting for Bushehr”
New Report: A Nuclear-Free Mirage?
Charles P. Blair, director of the Terrorism Analysis Project, interviewed FAS Senior Fellow for Nuclear Policy Dr. Robert Standish Norris.
The podcast takes a deeper look at the nuclear policies of the Obama administration—polices that Dr. Norris terms ‘radical’ with regard to their vision of a nuclear weapon free world.
Play the podcast to learn more about the obstacles to President Obama’s goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.
New Report: Russia Concerned as U.S. Moves Forward With Unreliable NATO Missile Defense Shield
Missile defense is still one issue that enjoys bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress. The Obama administration’s proposed defensive system is supposed to contain Iran, while strengthening ties with Russia. Unfortunately, missile defense could instead lead to more nuclear weapons and a more dangerous world.
Dr. Yousaf Butt, Scientific Consultant to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), and Dr. Theodore Postol, Professor of Science, Technology and National Security Policy in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, published a new technical assessment about the Phased Adaptive Approach (PAA) missile defense system proposed by NATO and the United States. In the report, “Upsetting the Reset: The Technical Basis of Russian Concern Over NATO Missile Defense,” they analyzed whether the Russian Federation has a legitimate concern over the proposed NATO-U.S. missile defense system.
For More Information: Read the news release. Read more about Missile Defense on the SSP Blog. Read op-ed “The Delusion of Missile Defense.”
Read the report: High Resolution Low Resolution
Visit the FAS Missile Defense System website.
Breivik’s Treatise Predicts Violent CBRN Attacks
FAS analysts conducted a preliminary analysis of Anders Breivik’s 1500 page treatise —2083: A European Declaration of Independence—and concluded that the nature of his attacks, compounded with the extraordinary content of his manifesto, raise important questions.
Read the report.
Follow the Terrorism Analysis Blog.
FAS President Charles Ferguson talks about nuclear power on PBS’s “Ideas in Action”.
July 19: FAS Expert at Brookings Institution Event on NATO’s Nuclear Future
NATO’s Nuclear Future: The Alliance’s Posture Review, Non-Strategic Nuclear Weapons in Europe and Arms Control
Hans M. Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project, will speak at an event on July 19 from 2-3:30 pm at the Brookings Institution.
In early 2011, NATO launched its Deterrence and Defense Posture Review, which has been tasked to define an appropriate mix of nuclear, conventional and missile defense forces for the 28 nations that are members of the alliance. At a time when some suggest the alliance should reduce or eliminate U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe, the review is examining key issues surrounding NATO’s nuclear posture in the current security environment. As NATO reviews its posture, Washington and NATO will also consider how U.S. and Russian non-strategic nuclear weapons might be dealt with in an arms control context.
After the program, panelists will take audience questions.
Event Information
When
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Where
Saul/Zilkha Rooms
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC
Map
PARTICIPANTS
Moderator
Angela Stent
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Center on the United States and Europe
Panelists
Hans M. Kristensen
Director, Nuclear Information Project
The Federation of American Scientists
Franklin C. Miller
Principal Member
The Scowcroft Group
Steven Pifer
Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Center on the United States and Europe
$1.1 billion Spent on International Trade in Light Weapons
The Small Arms Survey 2011 reveals that regulation and accountability measures have not kept up with the growth of the private security industry. Despite evidence that some private security companies have engaged in the illegal acquisition of firearms, have lost weapons through theft, or have misused their arsenals, there is no systematic reporting of such misconduct.
The new Survey draws on data from dozens of countries to estimate an annual value of $1.1 billion for the international trade in light weapons. Transfers of Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems—MANPADS—represent the bulk of this total. Carried and fired by a single fighter, MANPADS, travel at supersonic speeds from a shoulder-fired launcher toward the heat signature of an aircraft engine, where they detonate. The development of new MANPADS by China and the Russian Federation is indicative of continued interest in MANPADS.
Small Arms Survey 2011: States of Security.
Small Arms Survey 2011 podcast.
Matt Schroeder, director of the Arms Sales Monitoring Project at the Federation of American Scientists, is available for interviews.
FAS Releases New Report - Terrorism and the Pakistani Neo-Taliban (PNT)
The greatest threat to Pakistan’s nuclear infrastructure comes from jihadists both inside Pakistan and South and Central Asia. While there is appreciation of this danger, there are few substantive studies that identify and explore specific groups motivated and potentially capable of acquiring Pakistani nuclear weapons and/or fissile materials. This report fills that gap by exploring the Pakistani Neo-Taliban (PNT) and the groups that fill its ranks. Read the full report.
Learn more about the Terrorism Analysis Project.
