Ploughshares Fund Blog

President Barack Obama has assembled perhaps the most knowledgeable senior nuclear policy team in American history. Read more »
Posted by Joe Cirincione on February 27, 2013
Within Pakistan, extremism threatens the stability of the country and the security of their nuclear weapons. The Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) remain particularly volatile. Crisis Group, a Ploughshares Fund grantee, recently released a report, Pakistan: Countering Militancy in PATA, outlining a series of reforms national and provincial leaders can take to curb extremism and reclaim political space ceded to the military. Read more »
Posted by Jessica Sleight on February 26, 2013
It will be days or weeks before the world knows much about the nuclear test conducted by North Korea mid-day Tuesday local time in Pyongyang. What was its actual yield? What did it use – plutonium or highly enriched uranium, or some combination? Did it perform as expected? What will the international response be? Is this a game changer? Read more »
Posted by Paul Carroll on February 12, 2013
In an upcoming decision, the Obama administration is poised to pare down the U.S. nuclear arsenal. This move, which the president is likely to discuss in Tuesday’s State of the Union address, has the support of many experts who note it’s about time the U.S. moved away from Cold War weapons and invested in a 21st century security strategy that will make us more secure. Read more »
Posted by Alyssa Demus on February 11, 2013
The United States, along with the other permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany (P5+1), are set to resume negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear program on February 26 in Kazakhstan. Read more »
Posted by Rebecca Remy on February 7, 2013
At an event hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, James M. Acton, Steven Pifer and Elbridge Colby discussed measures outside of formal treaties that could reduce nuclear risks between the U.S. and Russia. Read more »
Posted by Alyssa Demus on January 30, 2013
Many in Congress fumed last year when a green energy company – Solyndra – defaulted on a $535 million government loan, resulting from some bad management decisions and the market falling out from under the company. What happens when the government spends $5 billion on a poorly managed plutonium program that has no market? Read more »
Posted by Ben Loehrke on January 23, 2013
With a new year come exciting opportunities to expand your knowledge of nuclear issues. Since you have probably read through last year’s list (well done!) and our summer list (kudos!), we’re providing you with a brand new list to satisfy your reading resolution for 2013. Covering diverse topics from Hiroshima manga (Japanese graphic novels) to the development of the bomb in Pakistan there is something to satisfy the nuclear wonk in everyone. Read more »
Posted by Jessica Sleight on January 22, 2013
During a roundtable discussion hosted by the American Security Project, Admiral William J. Fallon (USN Ret.) and Lieutenant General Frank Kearney (USA Ret.) spoke about the U.S. military policy options towards Iran. American Security Project’s CEO, Brigadier General Stephen A. Cheney USMC (Ret.), moderated the conversation. Read more »
Posted by Yelena Altman on January 17, 2013
Middle East, Partners, Iran
The minute hand of the Doomsday Clock will stay at five minutes to midnight for the year 2013, say the scientists and experts at The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists who maintain one of the world’s most famous time pieces. Read more »
Posted by Joe Cirincione on January 15, 2013