Seizing the Iran Proposal

On the radar: Allison on a deal with Iran; Outcomes for a diplomatic solution; Lynn on reducing nuclear costs; Beating the drum for war with Iran; Romney doesn’t prevent proliferation, he fights it; and a slight whoops at Y-12.

October 7, 2011 | Edited by Benjamin Loehrke and Mary Kaszynski

Test Iran’s offer - “President Obama should take a page from Ronald Reagan’s playbook in winning the final inning of the Cold War. Obama can challenge President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to put his enriched uranium where his mouth is — by stopping all Iranian enrichment of uranium beyond the 5 percent level,” writes Graham Allison in The Washington Post.

--In New York last month, Ahmadinejad made an offer to stop all uranium enrichment beyond 20% enriched if Iran could buy specialized fuel for a research reactor that produces medial isotopes for cancer patients. “Obama should seize this proposal and send negotiators straightaway to hammer out specifics,” writes Allison. http://owl.li/6Qsng

Towards Enhanced Safeguards for Iran’s Nuclear Program - “Failure to solve this dilemma [of Iran’s nuclear pursuits] has been in part caused by a lack of concrete diplomatic solutions.” Ali Vaez and Charles Ferguson make the case for an enhanced safeguards system that “could augur in a win-win diplomatic outcome.” A new report from FAS (pdf). http://owl.li/6QzIK

--The report launch is next Wednesday the 12th, 12-1:30 at the Capitol Visitor Center. Event details and RSVP here: http://owl.li/6OCKJ

DOD weighs nuke budget cuts - "I think what we're looking at now is what's the most efficient, effective way to stay within those [New START] limits but to do it in a more fiscally responsible fashion,” said outgoing Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn.

--”I'm not sure that takes you to a 'dyad' but I think there's a lot of different proposals that may get you down that path of staying within the START limits but doing it with somewhat less cost." http://owl.li/6PBW7

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Like Iraq, but more explosive - In a rather frank op-ed advocating steps toward war with Iran, Adm. James Lyons brazenly writes “Only One Solution to Iran: Regime Change” in The Washington Times. http://owl.li/6QteM

Tweet - @DouglasBShaw: David Albright: if Natanz is attacked, the Iranians would do whatever they could to make nuclear weapons and leave us wondering how many

Romney’s Bush Reunion - Mitt Romney announced his campaign’s list of national security advisers. Heading up the “Counter-proliferation” portfolio are Eric Edelman, Robert Joseph, and Stephen Rademaker. Josh Rogin has the full list. http://owl.li/6QuTt

--Romney gives a foreign policy speech this morning. Nuclear preview: “8 actions Mitt Romney will take in his first 100 days as president: "3. Enhance Our Deterrent Against Iran ... 4. Commit to a Robust National Missile Defense System...” From Mike Allen at Politico. http://owl.li/6QwPq

Dropping the bomb - Words you don’t want to hear when dismantling a nuclear weapon: “whoops.” In August at Tennessee’s Y-12 plant, a large nuclear-weapon part dropped more than a yard to the ground during a disassembly effort.

--There were no injuries, and a facility representative said the event could not have resulted in an explosion. Global Security Newswire has the story. http://owl.li/6QvME