Russian Experts Urge Cooperation on Missile Defense

May 19, 2011

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Today's top nuclear policy stories, with excerpts in bullet form.

Stories we're following today: Wednesday, May 19, 2011.

SuPR Group Calls for US-Russia Cooperation on Nuclear Security [link]

SuPR Group members call upon the governments of the US and Russia to examine the possibility of integration of warning and assessment data from U.S. and Russian radars and other sensors in a single, jointly-manned NATO-Russia center...In this system, NATO and Russian missile defense capabilities would be additive to one another.
Any military strike against Iran – under any pretext – would be dangerous and counterproductive. Short-term steps that could be taken by Russia and the United States include re-energizing and elevating bilateral consultations on the Iranian nuclear issue.
SuPR Group members call upon the governments of the USA and Russia to accelerate the reductions mandated by New START ahead of the 2018 implementation deadline...countries could begin new bilateral negotiations in 2011 aimed at further reductions of strategic offensive nuclear weapons down to 1000 warheads or below.

Welcome to the Twitters Assistant Secretary Rose @Gottemoeller

First tweet: "Excited to join the millions on Twitter. Follow me for the latest in the @StateDept Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance.
Says @Livableworld, "Tweet, but verify."

Upheaval: U.S. Policy Toward Iran in a Changing Middle East - Marc Lynch for the Center for a New American Security [link]

Arguments rage over whether the upheavals have strengthened or weakened Iran, Tehran’s role in sparking or exploiting the turbulence, how new regimes in key Arab states might interact with the Islamic Republic, and if the wave of protests might reach Iran itself.
But for all of the uncertainty, one thing seems clear: The foundations of the Obama administration’s Iran strategy are crumbling.
This report lays out a U.S. strategy towards Iran that is a policy reset from the regional status quo.
Download the full report here (PDF).

Russia Sabotaged Iran Nuclear Programme - AFP [link]

Then-Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered the sabotage of Iran's nuclear programme in 2006, according to WikiLeaks documents published by Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot on Thursday.
[According to the cables,] Putin had personally ordered measures to delay progress at Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant. Under a 1995 deal, Russia agreed to complete the plant and provide the fuel, with Iran committing to return the spent fuel.

The Hunt for Small Potatoes - Jeffrey Lewis in Arms Control Wonk [link]

In April 2009, Bob Gates openly mused about eliminating the Triad. I was a little surprised, to say the least. Now, he’s gone and done it again.
I find this curious. On one hand, the Triad is a sacred cow and, well, I think sacred cows make tasty burgers. But cost-savings?
The likely savings from further force cuts in US nuclear forces are likely to be quite small, especially compared to spending on missile defense and other big ticket items.

Iran Infiltrated IAEA Electronics, Officials Allege - Global Security Newswire [link]

Iran has allegedly tried to glean data from portable computers and cellular telephones left by IAEA inspectors carrying out nuclear safeguards checks in the Middle Eastern country.
The purpose of the alleged hacking might be to secretly transmit data collection software from the laptops or cell phones to the agency's computer system.

Life span of U.S. nuclear weapons will increase under plan - Walter Pincus in The Washington Post [link]

A new, 10-year strategic plan for the U.S. nuclear weapons complex demonstrates that as the size of the arsenal shrinks because of a new arms control treaty with Russia, the effectiveness and life span of the United States’s weapons will increase.
Among the “select initiatives” listed by the NNSA in an update released Wednesday of its 2004 strategic plan are life-extension programs for two nuclear missile warheads (W-76 & W-78) and one type of bomb (B-61).
NNSA reports that it will not be until 2022 before it expects to have taken apart all the nuclear systems retired before 2009.

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