Advancing the Goal of a World Free of Nuclear Weapons

We are happy to serve you a daily summary of the day's top nuclear policy stories each morning, with excerpts from the stories in bullet form.

Stories we're following today:

A World Free of Nuclear Weapons - eJournal USA from America.gov [link]

The most recent issue of the State Department's eJournal gathered officials and experts to discuss nuclear elimination.  Here are some of the highlights:

• Under Secretary of State Ellen Tauscher writes on President Obama's Commitment to achieving a nuclear-free world, putting it in context with the administration's immediate policy steps towards that vision.
• Joe Cirincione in his article "The Transformation of U.S. Nuclear Policy," outlines today's nuclear threats, explains the Obama administration's policies to address them, and details the political and practical obstacles to transformation.
• Johan Bergenas in his article "Young People to the Fore," argues that today's youth must pick up the mantle of elimination, offering frames for moving the debate from mere idealism to positive action.
• Read the full issue of eJournal for more articles and commentary.

Nuclear Posture Review Delayed Until Mid to Late March - The Cable [link]

• The release of the Obama administration's review of its nuclear strategy will be delayed even further as the government stakeholders continue to debate what options to ultimately present to President Obama.
• Obama is scheduled to review his final options on March 17.
• "We know ‘first use' and ‘sole purpose' are essentially off the table, but they will make steps toward that direction," said Stephen Young of the Union of Concerned Scientists, "The question is how many steps they will take toward that and whether they will mention that as a goal."
• "The delay might actually be helpful," said Ivan Oelrich, vice president of the Strategic Security Program at the Federation of American Scientists. A busy White House can now give the review more senior level attention, which could improve the final outcome.

GOP To Recycle Obstructionist Tactics Against Health Care To Kill START - Max Bergmann in the Wonk Room [link]

• Josh Rogin at Foreign Policy’s the Cable has two recent stories doubting the ability of the President to get a new START deal through the Senate. The Rogin stories points to the real political fight that confronts a new START treaty
• The same obstruction techniques and complaints that have been used over health care – the endless filibusters, the claims the bill is too long, that things are moving too fast, that more time is needed, or the latest talking point, that the Administration should just start over – will allow be used against a new START treaty.
• Make no mistake, ratifying START will take considerable effort on behalf of the White House, pro-treaty Senators, and the advocacy community. But the notion that ratification is just doomed is the sort of nonsense that Senators like Jon Kyl want everyone to believe.
• But fortunately there are significant signs of life. Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA) this week gave a powerful floor speech in support of START, the Vice President has preempted conservative claims on a deteriorating nuclear stockpile, and other Senators like Dick Durbin (D-IL), Diane Feinstein (D-CA), and notably Richard Lugar (R-IN) all look like key advocates in for ratification.

What to do About Tactical Nuclear Weapons - Pavel Podvig in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists [link]

• The hope is that the momentum for a nuclear-weapon-free world, the renewed U.S.-Russian negotiations, and the ongoing review of the U.S. nuclear posture and NATO strategic concept will help make progress on reducing nonstrategic nuclear arsenals--an issue that has been largely neglected for more than a decade.
• I believe, however, that the task of dealing with tactical nuclear weapons would be much easier if we take them for what they are--weapons with no military value whatsoever--instead of trying to balance them with everything else. There is more agreement on this issue than you might think.
• An agreement [between the U.S. and Russia on tactical weapons] won't be easy. But if the European NATO members are persistent in their calls for withdrawal of U.S. nuclear weapons from Europe and the Obama administration holds strong against criticism from defense hawks, then it just might come together.

Clinton Rolls Back Bolton-Era Arms Control Shakeup - The Cable [link]

• Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday announced plans to reorganize the "T" bureau at the State Department, seeking to roll back changes made by former Under Secretary John Bolton during George W. Bush's presidency.
• Within [Under Secretary Tauscher's] T bureau, the Bureau of Verification, Compliance and Implementation (VCI) will be renamed the "Bureau of Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance." Adding arms control to the bureau's portfolio will help consolidate and strengthen that effort within T… The International Security and Non-proliferation Bureau (ISN) will now be left to focus solely on nonproliferation work...  Confused yet?