The Defense Budget is Stuck in the Nuclear Past

Cruise missiles are so 80’s - Why exactly do we need a new nuclear cruise missile, asks Tom Nichols in his latest piece for The National Interest. “We don’t, unless you think America should be prepared for a protracted, all-out war with the old Soviet Union... The purpose of the old ALCM [air launched cruise missile] was to allow U.S. bombers to get close enough to fire its cruise weapons from a distance as part of a campaign of suppressing enemy air defenses and other targets at the edge of enemy territory. As part of an over[all] nuclear war-fighting strategy, it made sense—at least, it made sense if you believed in nuclear war-fighting strategies.”

--But “what, exactly, is the scenario under which the United States resorts to nuclear cruise missiles because enemy air defenses are too hazardous for the bombers? I can think of only one: a major nuclear war that’s already underway.” That is a fight that’s unwinnable. “We don’t need to reinvest in a nuclear program meant to destroy Soviet air defenses in 1985. How large a deterrent we need is an argument worth having, but in the meantime, let’s stop trying to refight the Cold War.” Read the full story here. http://bit.ly/1RO0eDk

Tweet - @DontBankonBomb: This is a cool video explaining how you may be financing #nuclear weapons: Do you invest? Find out on 12 Nov! #CSR http://bit.ly/1NdgOxj

Iran starts dismantling centrifuges - “Iran has begun shutting down uranium enrichment centrifuges under the terms of a deal struck with six world powers in July on limiting its nuclear programme, Tehran's atomic energy chief said on Monday during a visit to Tokyo,” according to the Dubai desk at Reuters. “‘We have already started to take our measures vis-a-vis the removal of the centrifuge machines - the extra centrifuge machines. We hope in two months time we are able to exhaust our commitment,’ Ali Akbar Salehi told public broadcaster NHK.”

--“In a separate development that appeared to confirm that Iran had begun implementing its side of the deal, 20 hardline conservative members of Iran's parliament wrote to President Hassan Rouhani to complain about the deactivation of centrifuges in two enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordow... Khamenei, conditionally approved the deal last month, but the lawmakers said that beginning implementation so soon was against his directives.” Get the full story here. http://reut.rs/1Q6DfoE

Tweet - @IISS_org: Iran starts removing 1000s of centrifuges: “historic turning point" @FitzpatrickIISS tells @Telelgraph #IranDealhttp://bit.ly/1iysa29

Scottish MPs reject Trident - “Delegates at the Scottish Labour Party conference have voted to scrap the Trident nuclear missile system… The Scottish party’s policy is now different from that of the UK Labour party – which officially supports renewal of the weapons system... Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wants to scrap the weapon, however,” writes Jon Stone for the Independent.

--“Trade unions, including Britain’s biggest union Unite, said they would vote to keep the system because of the potential impact on jobs scrapping it could have. This means Mr. Corbyn would have been likely to lose any vote on the system if it had come to the conference floor... The Liberal Democrats want to keep nuclear weapons but say they would buy a less expensive system. The Conservatives fully support renewing the weapon.” Read the full story here. http://ind.pn/1Nj7Q1x

At the ready - “According to the government website, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin told [his security] council that it was important to review and potentially strengthen Russia's defence protocols against ‘nuclear, radiological, chemical and biological threats, both in peacetime, and—God forbid, of course—in wartime,’ reports Damien Sharkov. “The order was given during one of Putin's regular meetings with the council that is made up of the heads of Russia's intelligence, defence and law enforcement agencies.”

--“We have to analyse to what extent they correspond to the realities of today and, if the need arises, make the required revisions... In the near future we should set up an inventory of individual means of protection for citizens, to determine which of them have become theoretically and technically obsolete, and develop measures to replenish stocks of such assets in accordance with modern designs,” Putin said. Get the full story from the Independent here. http://ind.pn/1Mvo4Q1

Million-dollar lobbying - “The U.S. Air Force has awarded an initial $21.4 billion contract for a new stealth bomber to be equipped with nuclear weapons, following years of ardent lobbying and generous campaign donations by the victorious military contractor, Northrop Grumman, to 224 key members of Congress,” writes Alexander Cohen for The Center for Public Integrity. “The firm’s task will be to construct at least 21 Long Range Strike bombers,” announced Air Force Assistant Secretary William LaPlante last week.

--“Lobbyists and officials at Northrop Grumman have spent years greasing the wheels on Capitol Hill to ensure congressional support for the program and for the firm’s central role in it, according to the Center for Public Integrity's review of lobbying and campaign contributions by the contractor and its employees… The local communities where the new bombers and their flight crews will be based have also pressed for the program, which will in some cases help them hold onto an economic lifeline for decades to come.” Get the full story here. http://bit.ly/1GJEckI

Tweet - @nukes_of_hazard: The Catholic Church: first use is never morally justifiable-Michael Krepon explains Church history on nukes. ow.ly/U8v3x

Quick Hits:

--“Who, What, Why: What would the radio broadcast in a nuclear war?” by BBC. http://bit.ly/20qPBwn

--“US Defense Chief Calls On North Korea To Avoid Provocations” at Defense News. http://bit.ly/20qPBwn

--“China’s Ultimate Nightmare: Japan Armed With Nuclear Weapons”, by Kyle Mizokami for The National Interest. http://bit.ly/1KW1W0h

--“How to get Iran to improve its human rights”, by Barbara Slavin for Al-Monitor. http://bit.ly/1k7NuNH

--“Remembrance Day marked for nuclear weapons workers”, by Sandra Gonzalez for NBC. http://bit.ly/1HoN6Pq

--“Republicans trust Trump on economy, nuclear weapons: Reuters/Ipsos poll”, by Ginger Gibson for Reuters. http://yhoo.it/1NoLkEt

Events:

--“Reliving History: A Retrospective Trident”, featuring Rebecca Hersman and Franklin Miller. Wednesday, November 4th from 5:00 - 7:30 PM at Center for Strategic and International Studies, Second Floor B Room, 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington, DC. RSVP here. http://bit.ly/1VUkedS

--“Peacebuilding, Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament”, featuring Dr. Peter Kuznick, Kevin Martin and Rev. Bruce Knotts. Sunday, November 8th from 1:30 - 3:45 PM at All Souls Church, 1500 Harvard Street NW, Washington, DC 20009. http://bit.ly/1Md124N

--“Bridging the Military Nuclear Materials Gap”, featuring Joan Rohlfing and Andrew Bieniawski of the Nuclear Threat Initiative. Tuesday, November 10th from 4:00 - 6:00 PM at House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007. RSVP here. http://bit.ly/1KUhgdz

--“Nuclear Detonation Effects in an Urban Area”, featuring John Mercier. Tuesday, November 10th from 12:00 - 1:30 PM at Department of Science and Technology in Society at Virginia Tech, Virginia Tech Research Center, 900 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, VA. RSVP here. http://bit.ly/1KXP39b

--“Stimson Debate: Nuclear Weapons and International Stability”, featuring Ward Wilson and Elbridge Colby. Thursday, November 12th from 12:30 - 1:30 PM at the Stimson Center, 8th Floor, 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC. RSVP here. http://bit.ly/1GGdWaM