United States

The United States invented nuclear weapons, operates the second largest nuclear force in the world and holds the dubious distinction of being the only country to use these weapons in combat. As a result, the U.S. has a special responsibility to lead the way in reducing its own nuclear weapons stockpile and calling for other nuclear armed nations to follow suite. Following is analysis and opinion from Ploughshares Fund staff, grantees and guests on the ongoing struggle to deal with nuclear weapons in the United States.

  • We’ve come together because we share a passion for achieving the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.

    December 19, 2013 - By Michael Douglas and Farshad Farahat
  • The U.S.-Iran nuclear deal is a significant step toward ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon. In his Los Angeles Times opinion piece, "What defusing Iran would mean," Ploughshares Fund president Joe Cirincione looks at the broader implications for successfully implementing the interim deal and the steps to follow.

    December 9, 2013 - By admin
  • Bailout was a naval term before it was a financial term. Bailing out a ship means, essentially, to save a sinking ship by taking a bucket and heaving water overboard.

    October 1, 2013 - By Ben Loehrke
  • Writing for Defense One, Joe Cirincione urges the U.S. and Russia to move past Snowden and focus on long-standing bilateral security threats.

    August 8, 2013 - By admin
  • Today marks the signing of the Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT) in Moscow 50 years ago. Officially known as “The Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water,” the LTBT was the world’s first significant step away from nuclear weapons testing.

    August 5, 2013 - By admin
  • In Iran, the election of Dr. Hassan Rouhani may signal the beginning of a change toward more openness. For the U.S., his election may unlock a door for negotiations that had remained firmly shut under former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

    July 25, 2013 - By admin
  • Days may be numbered for the budget busting B61 nuclear bomb. This bomb, first deployed in Europe to fight the Cold War, is facing serious challenges in Congress from both Democrats and Republicans.

    July 16, 2013 - By admin
  • Two years ago, when talk of “fiscal responsibility” began to dominate the political discussion, Ploughshares Fund realized that we had an unprecedented opportunity to tilt Washington’s budget axe toward the nuclear weapons complex. So we organized and funded a campaign to reduce spending on nuclear weapons.

    June 27, 2013 - By Ben Loehrke
  • Susan Rice does not speak very often on nuclear policy, but behind the scenes she played a major role in shaping Barack Obama’s nuclear weapons positions in the 2008 campaign.

    June 5, 2013 - By Joe Cirincione
  • The Obama administration is seeking money to upgrade a nuclear bomb it doesn’t need, to fight a war that no longer exists. The bomb is the B61, and it is a glowing example of Washington’s nuclear budget waste.

    Analysts expect the B61 nuclear bomb upgrade to cost $11.9 billion – with each bomb costing more than its weight in gold.

    May 30, 2013 - By admin