On Nuclear Disarmament, White House Disappoints

Nuclear ennui - “Even in an administration full of audacious hope, the nuclear arms agenda of President Barack Obama stood out... His energetic embrace of nuclear disarmament was cited as part of his Nobel Peace Prize [in 2009], and his announcement in Prague of a commitment to lock down vulnerable nuclear explosives all over the world within four years, to keep them away from terrorists, was attention-getting and audacious."

--“Six years into his presidency, though, that ambitious dream has all but disappeared. As President Obama prepares for the last of the global summits he organized to safeguard nuclear explosive materials, his aides are hoping for modest achievements rather than pressing for broad new measures to help protect the world from a nuclear terror attack.” Read the full report from Douglas Birch and R. Jeffrey Smith for Politico. http://politi.co/1dI5lqv

Unintended consequences - The threat of nuclear war between Russia and the West, long relegated to Cold War history, reappeared last year as the crisis in East-West relations escalated… The US and its NATO allies have made clear they are not looking for a military confrontation with Russia. But the escalation of nuclear rhetoric, now on both sides, could lead to unintended consequences.”

--“Anyone who thinks that an unintended nuclear scenario over Ukraine is far-fetched should remember that less than two years ago, the US and Russia were discussing how to expand trade, find a compromise on missile defense and further cut their nuclear arsenals.” Full story by Alexei Arbatov in Defense News. http://bit.ly/1IIZaxl

On the rise - “India and Pakistan are reportedly expanding their nuclear arsenal, despite a global trend towards disarmament,” a new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) finds.

--“The Swedish institute said that though the number of warheads [worldwide] fell from 22,600 to 15,850 between 2010 and 2015, India (90 to 100 warheads) and Pakistan (100 to 120 warheads) undertook ‘extensive and expensive long-term modernisation programmes.’” Full story from the Express News Service here. http://bit.ly/1cYpgkw

Tweet - @FitzpatrickIISS:'Access where needed, when needed’ is the answer to the #Iran military base inspection issue, I conclude http://bit.ly/1JRzHow

U.N. to hold off on sanctions relief - If a nuclear deal with Iran is reached, the U.N. Security Council will “likely delay for at least a month” action to lift nuclear sanctions “so U.S. Congress can review the agreement… Western officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was an unwelcome development but politically necessary since Congress... does not want the 15-member council to speak first.” Full story by Reuters. http://reut.rs/1KW3E69

Tweet - @GEsfandiari: #Iran's Nuclear 'Diplomatic Warriors' Are Back In Vogue #IranTalks http://bit.ly/1GKBXeN

Quick hits:

--“Russian official sees Iran nuclear deal being reached on time,” by Reuters. http://reut.rs/1LelLlM

--“A nuclear-free Middle East is worth imagining, even if it’s fantasy,” by Walter Pincus for The Washington Post. http://wapo.st/1dI933u

--“Kaspersky says Iran talks spyware masqueraded under Foxconn name,” by Reuters. http://reut.rs/1GKKcHL

Events:

--“To Remember and Reflect,” June 16, 5:30-7:30 p.m., panel of artists on addressing war-related suffering, with Kristine Yuki Aono, Kitty Klaidman, Miriam Morsel Nathan and Aida Sehovic. Hiroshima-Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Exhibition, American University, Katzen Arts Center, Third Floor, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington. http://bit.ly/1ff0O01

--House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa, hearing on “The Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act: State Department’s Non-Compliance,” with Thomas Melito, Government Accountability Office. June 17 at 2:00 p.m. 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington. Webcast here. http://1.usa.gov/1FbOQsS

--Book discussion, Nixon's Nuclear Specter: The Secret Alert of 1969, Madman Diplomacy and the Vietnam War with authors Jeffrey Kimball and William Burr. June 18, 12 p.m. National Archives, McGowan Theater, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington. Webcast here. http://bit.ly/1R4FmX9

--Dennis Blair, Sasakawa USA, and James Miller, former Undersecretary for Defense for Policy, “The Korean Peninsula Issues and U.S. National Security.” June 18, 1:30-4:30 p.m. 216 Hart Office Building, Washington. RSVP here. http://bit.ly/1QBn70z

--P5+1 and Iran continue talks at the ministerial level on Iran's nuclear program. Vienna. June 20.

Dessert:

Crossroads - Bruce Conner’s 1976 film about nuclear testing continues to captivate viewers 39 years after its release. The movie features stunning footage from the the 1946 Baker Test on Bikini Atoll, and was used at the end of Stanley Kubrick’s satirical 1964 movie Doctor Strangelove. http://bit.ly/1GqvPXC