Nuclear States

  • Gates confirms Iranian missile test

    U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates confirmed that Iran successfully test-fired a new medium-range missile, the first successful launch with a solid-fuel missile. Missiles that rely on solid-fuel propellant can be more easily transported and prepared for launch than their liquid-fuel counterparts.  However, the test did not suggest Iran has expanded the reach of its missiles, said Greg Thielmann of the Ploughshares-funded Arms Control Association, and "thus, no new countries would be threatened by the new solid-(fueled missile) that are not already threatened." Paul Ingram of the British American Security Information Council (BASIC), another Ploughshares grantee, stressed to Voice of America that it's difficult to determine if the test launch is a worrisome development, but that "it does sound like campaign rhetoric” by President Ahmedinejad.

    May 21, 2009 - By Sarah Brown

  • U.S.-Russian Team Deems Missile Shield in Europe Ineffective

    The Washington Post reports today that a planned U.S.

    May 19, 2009 - By Deborah Bain

  • Developing nations seek assurances on nuclear weapons

    U.N.

    May 16, 2009 - By Sarah Brown

  • New Realism About U.S.-Russia Relations

    Though conservative foreign policy experts have repudiated the notion that the U.S.

    May 15, 2009 - By Sarah Brown

  • Paul Carroll discusses implications of North Korea launch

    In Voice of America's continuing analysis of North Korea’s April 5 launch, experts discuss what threat North Korea’s nuclear program poses to the U.S. While technically the launch was a failure, it did accomplish something, according to Paul Carroll, Ploughshares Fund program director: "From a political point of view, it was a success in terms of getting the world's attention, getting the U.S.'s attention. It certainly was a provocative and a sort of 'hey look at me' kind of exercise." Analysts believe North Korea has a long way to go before it perfects the Taepodong-2 rocket to carry either a satellite or a nuclear warhead.

    May 14, 2009 - By Sarah Brown

  • Nuclear Experts Offer Draft Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty

    A panel of nuclear experts yesterday presented a proposed version of a long-awaited international treaty to ban the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons.  President Barack Obama said last month that establishing a cutoff treaty would be one of the "concrete steps toward a

    May 12, 2009 - By Deborah Bain

  • Paul Carroll discusses Russia's role in 6-party talks

    In the last of a three-segment piece for Voice of America, Ploughshares Fund Program Director Paul Carroll discusses Russia’s role in the six-party talks with North Korea. North Korea has refused to participate after a U.N. rebuke following its recent launch, but Russia recently offered North Korea use of Russian territory for future satellite launches. 

    May 12, 2009 - By Sarah Brown

  • Increased activity at North Korean nuclear missile sites

    A South Korean newspaper reported an increase in people and vehicle traffic at the site of North Korea's October 2006 nuclear test, potentially in preparation for another underground test. The paper also reported accelerated construction at a new long-range missile launch site at Donchang-ri.

    May 7, 2009 - By Sarah Brown

  • Paul Carroll discusses North Korea's withdrawal from six-party talks

    After international condemnation of its long range missile test, North Korea announced it would boycott the talks on its nuclear program.  However, Ploughshares Program Director

    May 7, 2009 - By Sarah Brown

  • Paul Carroll interviewed on North Korea launch

    In a radio interview with Voice of America’s Andre de Nesnera, Ploughshares Fund’s Program Director Paul Carroll discussed North Korea’s recent rocket la

    May 6, 2009 - By Sarah Brown