Global Challenges
Proliferation
July 1 marked the 40th anniversary of the NPT which provided an opportunity to reexamine its current and future role. ++ Nuclear nonproliferation movement is at a crossroads. ++ It is crucial that the next US president calls for deep …More
Fabian Martin Lieschke: NATO’s nuclear posture is dated and needs to be reconsidered during next year’s review. If NATO withdraws sub-strategic nuclear weapons from Europe it can pursue a leverage strategy to persuade Russia to also eliminate its tactical nuclear weapons. …More
“A US willingness to talk to Iran on the full range of issues dividing the two countries offers the best hope of rescuing a failed policy.” ++ If the US does not negotiate with Iran as proposed by Obama, they will be lacking options besides attacking Iran. ++ …More
Iran and North Korea are trying to develop nuclear capabilities and to many other countries, pursueing a military nuclear program has become an attractive option. ++ The US should stop denying any relationship between those …More
Working towards a nuclear free world is a necessity now that the cold war is over. ++ Both presidential candidates have announced they would commit the US to this goal. ++ The next president should lead the freeze on the production of …More
Britain’s foreign secretary argues that if the new “dual-track approach” regarding Iran’s nuclear aspirations fails, it is the Iranian’s own fault. ++ Convinced that the region and the world need a cooperative, …More
Ryan R. Miller: The belief Russia will help the West ease tensions with Iran is wishful thinking. A compliant Iran would be Gazprom’s biggest competitor. Washington should offer the Mullahs EU energy markets in exchange for concessions on the nuclear issue and thus reduce European dependence on Russian energy. …More
The USA is not performing the transition to conventional weapons, which was meant to lessen the country’s dependence on nuclear weapons for defense. ++ US politicians and media are using the claim that Russia is boosting its …More
Fabian Martin Lieschke: President Bush’s effort to unite the EU-3 behind an American proposal for harsher measures on Iran may be undermined by German domestic politics. …More
Bush is moving toward helping the Saudis develop a nuclear program under the guise of energy security. ++ Considering that Saudi Arabia bathes in oil and basks in sunlight, something is missing. ++ Adding a counterweight to …More
Attacking Iran would be disastrous, many civilians would die, the nuclear program would subsist, and Israel’s involvement would create a serious backlash in the region. ++ Iran’s threats toward Israel give reason for concern but sanctions …More
Bush and Olmert’s allusions to war with Iran are the result of their foreign and domestic policy predicaments. ++ Both leaders need to create a diversion to save themselves politically, and “if either - or both - should order a military …More
Europe is playing a dangerous game with Iran. ++ Supporting US-endorsed sanctions while simultaneously maintaining business ties with Iran has resulted in a “schizophrenic policy.” ++ While the US sees a nuclear Iran as absolutely …More
Cooperation between Russia and the US on issues of nonproliferation is vital for America’s national security. ++ The agreement now before the US Congress would help the US and Russia create an international fuel bank that could …More
Daryl Kimball: The next US president must take action towards nuclear disarmament in three distinct areas. He or she must pursue reductions in US and Russian nuclear arsenals, work towards ratifying the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and reassess and reduce the role of nuclear weapons. …More
Iran cannot be prevented from acquiring nuclear power capabilities. ++ The US should therefore favor negotiation with the regime over the current threats and sanctions driven policy which merely provides for hostile relations. ++ Since “a …More
Failed US foreign policy pushed Iran into a hegemonic role it never could have attained under its own power and in such a short time. ++ Iran’s nuclear program threatens to tilt the regional strategic balance enduringly. ++ It is very …More
Recently President Bush signed an agreement to cooperate with Saudi Arabia on developing civilian nuclear energy. ++ In the case of Saudi Arabia, the agreement seems unnecessary. ++ There are alarming signs that this sudden …More
Thomas Speckmann: By highlighting the following dilemma “the Iranian bomb or the bombing of Iran”, Sarkozy signalled the return to a strategy of nuclear deterrence. Since the West’s most dreaded scenario is the nuclearization of the Middle East, calls to prevent Iran from acquiring the atomic bomb are becoming ever more frequent. …More
While Iran’s nuclear program frustrates the West and demonstrates “the limits of American power,” feelings of satisfaction and success unite Iranians. ++ Western incentives for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment - such as commercial …More
The US is making a bold, perhaps doltish, move by refusing to discuss a treaty aimed at preventing weapons in outer space. ++ China and Russia have warned that a countermove would be unavoidable to ensure their own security. ++ Many are …More
India’s ascension as a nuclear weapon state ten years ago was a mistake. ++ Fallacious confidence in the doctrine of deterrence has had the opposite effect, encouraging reckless behavior in Kashmir and strengthening Pakistan’s military …More
The National Nuclear Security Administration announced the US had reduced its nuclear warheads stockpile. ++ Yet the US continues to upgrade its nuclear arsenal which is the world’s largest. ++ Since the US has not ratified the …More
The US should continue its current path in North Korean nuclear negotiations, rather than exiting or stalling talks. ++ It should prioritize verification of North Korea’s plutonium production records, and push towards dismantlement of the …More
Amid escalating rhetoric about Iranian military involvement in Iraq, a new package of incentives by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany is unlikely to persuade Iran to suspend nuclear enrichment. ++ …More
Plans to build a US-proposed missile-defense shield based in Czech Republic and Poland has been met with feisty opposition. ++ NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Sheffer insists that missile defense is crucial for North Atlantic …More
Having unwisely abandoned the 1994 Clinton deal that kept North Korea from producing plutonium, the Bush administration’s shift from past confrontational rhetoric is promising. ++ A first step is the assessment of plutonium …More
Concerning the Iranian enrichment program, international attention shouldn’t exclusively be on the receiving country. ++ Indian and European companies deliver nuclear supplies to Iran. ++ Tightening up control over European nuclear …More
Marek Swierczynski: Brazil and Russia want to build fighter jets and rockets under the new agreement signed last week. The potential “superpower of the South” may be on its way out of the western camp and can speed up the creation of the world’s new order. Bad news. …More
Bush’s
chief North Korea negotiator recently reached a deal with Pyongyang based on trust and not
verification ++ This hasty compromise before the end of the presidential term, could set a precedent for other nations determined to develop a nuclear program ++ Seoul and Tokyo are left bewildered by this sudden new policy of “appeasement.” ++ Public awareness will prove pivotal.
Ryan R. Miller: When major powers meet in Shanghai on April 16th to discuss Iran’s nuclear program, Washington should work with European capitals and leave the door open to greater EU-Iranian energy trade as a potential reward for Iranian good behavior. For post-communist Central Europe, disproportionately exposed to Russia’s energy monopoly, such a strategy could kill two birds with one stone. …More
Israel’s legitimate nuclear program is not a valuable excuse for Russia to jeopardize international security by supplying a reactor to Iran and by agreeing on nuclear cooperation with
Egypt. ++ The international community should …More
As nuclear weapons’ materials increase on black market, US needs to modernize forensics tools in preparation for a potential attack. ++ International collaboration and a shared
database are essential. ++ A group of independent experts …More
The protracted Six Party Talks dating back from 2003 enabled Kim Jong-il to gain time and repeatedly violate commitments. ++ If the instrumental support of Russia and China is secured, Bush should dedicate the next 10 months to …More
During Merkel’s visit, Israel needs to clarify that Germany must support tougher sanctions, break diplomatic ties, and end governmental trade subsidies with Iran. ++ Brown and Sarkozy are already supportive of more restrictive sanctions, but …More
Matt Dupuis: The idea of bringing the production and storage of nuclear fuel under international control is gaining support once again. The US should take the lead in creating a global fuel bank which would make it possible to test countries’ intentions while limiting their access to nuclear technology. …More
The goal of global nuclear disarmament must not be abandoned. ++ Recent positive developments at the Oslo conference suggest that all nations should continue to work together toward this goal. ++ The disarmament appeal needs to be more universal. ++ Hopefully, the calls for more diplomatic-scientific cooperation, firm commitment from leaders, and expanded education will be remembered.
The US’s current “insistence on zero enrichment of uranium” in Iran is unreasonable. ++ The US needs to encourage Iran to abandon its national enrichment activities in favor of a multilateral program based in Iran. ++ While there would be many risks, such a …More
Tobias Bock: This essay argues that there continues to be a function for nuclear weapons after the cold war: A number of states still strive to obtain nuclear weapons because they are convinced that they facilitate deterrence against perceived threats. …More
In the wake of the US National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, the EU should continue with their diplomatic approach, despite US calls for more unilateral sanctions, says Volker Perthes of the SWP. Such an approach should be based on a broad international …More
Drawing on the US Personnel Reliability Program, officials now check applicants and personnel for characteristics that might make them more likely to betray their nation’s secrets. Religious fervor is among the ones most …More
The results of the new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran’s nuclear program reveal nothing distinctly different from previous findings. Nevertheless, their ensuing debate could prove critical to …More
Jeffrey Lewis of the New America Foundation takes a look behind the Bush administration’s boasting of having cut the size of the nation’s nuclear stockpile, while attempting to modernize the US …More
Andreas Beckmann: The general public does not understand the advantages of a US ground-based missile defense system in Europe. Western politicians should be wary of making confusing public statements that could facilitate Russian and Iranian efforts to divide the Alliance. …More
As Egypt declares its intentions to pursue nuclear energy, it joins other thirteen states in the Middle East with the same aim. Iran’s nuclear plans seem to be responsible for this troubling trend, writes Dan Murphy from the Christian Science …More
Mark Brzezinski: The US has missed opportunities to make sensible progress in India and Iran. In both cases, the United States should be promoting constructive engagement rather than undercutting long-held nonproliferation doctrine. …More
Despite tough rhetoric from Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany continues to play a role in Iran’s nuclear program, writes Benjamin Weinthal in Haaretz. Germany’s official public stance looks shaky in the face of the $5.7 …More
“Given the nature of Iran’s rulers, the declarations of the Iranian President, and the trouble the regime is causing throughout the region…our country and the entire international community cannot stand by as a terror-supporting state fulfills …More
Robert M. Kimmitt:, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, applauded Germany’s efforts at forging transatlantic economic bonds during a media breakfast hosted by the Atlantic Initiative in conjunction with the DGAP and Bohnen Kallmorgen & Partner. Kimmitt’s stop in Berlin was part of an extended trip through European capitals aimed at promoting common transatlantic policies towards financial and economic issues. …More
Wall Street Journal columnist Bret Stephens breaks down the intrigue surrounding Israel’s military operations over Syria on September 6. “In a country of open secrets,” Israel’s customary …More
The cloud of secrecy surrounding India’s long-standing secret nuclear submarine program is finally clearing up, reports Guardian columnist Maseeh Rahman from Delhi. India has been racing to create alternative …More
British scholar and arms expert Plesch, Director of the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy of SOAS at the University of London, and Butcher, adviser to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the …More
The prospect of a bilateral summit between North and South Korea is laudable, but Bruce Klinger from the Heritage Foundation is suspicious of the motives and the timing of South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun. With national presidential …More
Is nuclear power the cheap energy and climate change holy grail? In their latest Oxford Research Group Briefing Paper, Frank Barnaby and James Kemp say no. Apart from the security problems a nuclear renaissance would bring, the …More
Kenneth Ballen: Almost 70% of Iranians favor normal relations with the United States. With all options against Iran still on the table, the West should pay more attention to a population whose majority supports democracy. …More
Only a broad coalition which includes the United States, European Union, Russia, China and India can successfully replace the West’s failed attempts to negotiate with Iran. Karim Sadjadpour, an Associate at the Carnegie …More
Dr. Matthew Levitt is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute and founding director of their …More
Violence and unrest have increased among Iran’s ethnic minorities, which make up half of the country’s 70 million inhabitants. As Western countries show growing interest in these developments, author John R. Bradley warns …More
Yossi Mekelberg, Associate Fellow at Chatham House, analyzes Israeli policy options towards Iran and potential consequences.
Though Israel would prefer that issues with Tehran be resolved diplomatically …More
The US-India nuclear deal might be at risk, argues Sengupta in an article for the World Security Network. The countries are particularly divided over two issues:
- Granting India permission to carry out …More
Inspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency conducted surprise inspections in Tehran on May 13, finding 1,300 centrifuges enriching uranium and running smoothly. Together with recent aggressions toward Western nations such as …More
Maximilian Terhalle: I recommend that the United States offer Iran a fair deal in order to secure American interests in the Gulf region. The US needs to consider Iran’s political ambitions if it hopes to make headway with Tehran, and the international community should get involved in negotiating a mutually beneficial agreement. …More
Eckart von Klaeden: Europe will soon be vulnerable to medium-range ballistic missiles. The time to act is now. Europe, Germany and NATO must agree on an anti-missile shield to protect against threats from Iran and others. …More
Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger: I find that Putin should be no match for NATO cohesion on missile defense. And I urge the West not to let itself be pulled apart by a man who celebrates authoritarianism and perhaps a return to Soviet empire. …More
Jan-Friedrich Kallmorgen and Andreas Beckmann: Germany should support the proposed US missile defense plan and broaden the plan through NATO. Though this issue is rarely understood in Germany, it is evident that the world faces a massive security problem as a result of Iran’s developing nuclear program. …More
The US intention to extend parts of its missile defense system to Poland and the Czech Republic has ruffled feathers throughout Europe. The issue has been particularly divisive in Germany, …More
Eckart von Klaeden: Europe and Germany need missile defense against the threat from Iran. Europe has long neglected the new strategic threats arising from missile proliferation.
This is the first of a two-part series from the Atlantic Initiative Advisory Board Member. …More
The creation of a legitimate US missile defense system requires a NATO framework, bipartisan support within the US, and Russian participation, argues Ronald Asmus of the German Marshall Fund. The Atlantic …More
The United Nations approach to halting the Iranian nuclear program is a deepening hole that the Security Council and Germany should “stop digging,” says Christoph Bertram, the former director of the German Institute for …More
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