UN First Committee and NATO Defence Ministers meeting

The United Nations General Assembly First Committee opens today in New York, the UN forum for disarmament and international security affairs. Its month-long session contains an ambitious program of work, including discussion on nuclear weapons and other WMDs, in the weaponisation of space, conventional weapons, regional disarmament and security, and disarmament machinery (conventions and treaties).

Open letter to NATO Secretary General on B-61 upgrades

BASIC has written to the NATO Secretary General with concern over the rising cost of the new full-scope Life Extension Program for the U.S. B-61 nuclear bombs. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates the program costing $10 billion, more than doubling original estimations.

Dissecting the DDPR

Ted Seay, Senior Policy Consultant

NATO’s Chicago Summit in May provided the Alliance with its second opportunity in two years to re-think the presence of U.S. theatre nuclear weapons in Europe, but for the second consecutive time, NATO failed. In this report, BASIC policy consultant, Ted Seay, examines key decisions made (and not made) in Chicago, in relation to the future of NATO's nuclear sharing arrangements and the Alliance as a whole.

NATO's DDPR: What to Expect and What Needs to Be Done After Chicago

Paul Ingram, Executive Director

NOTE: This post follows up on the front page article published in Arms Control Today, May 2, 2012

Celeste Wallander at BASIC Shadow NATO Summit

Dr. Celeste Wallander, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia/Ukraine/Eurasia in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), speaks about NATO partnerships with Russia and other countries and NATO's engagement in the Middle East and North Africa at the Shadow NATO Summit hosted by BASIC, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the Elliott School of International Affairs, NATO Watch, and Strategy International in Washington, DC on May 14 and 15, 2012.

Nato plans to upgrade nuclear weapons 'expensive and unnecessary'

The Guardian

This article by Guardian Reporter, Richard Norton-Taylor, features a recent article published by BASIC policy consultant Ted Seay. The report examines NATO's plans to upgrade US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe and concludes that this expensive endeavor is unnecessary and will adversely affect relations with Russia.

The NATO Summit: Recasting the Debate Over U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Europe

Paul Ingram, Executive Director

In this article from the front cover of Arms Control Today, Paul Ingram and Oliver Meier discuss the newly agreed draft of the DDPR for the Chicago Summit at the end of May. The authors highlight important points in the debate over U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in Europe and strategic relations with Russia, and explain various principles that should be kept in mind while leaders discuss the future of NATO's nuclear posture at the upcoming Summit.

Changing the narrative on U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in Europe

Anne Penketh

A couple of events in Washington this week arising from a new report will focus attention anew on the presence of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in Europe, as NATO foreign and defence ministers prepare to meet in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday ahead of next month’s NATO summit.

Paris Roundtable: NATO’s future deterrence posture--What can nuclear weapons contribute?

This roundtable workshop in Paris from March 5th-6th was a part of the series of workshops held throughout Europe with the purpose of engaging with officials and experts in discussion on NATO's nuclear posture.

New U.S. Global Military Strategy could hint at future moves to reduce dependence on tactical nuclear weapons in Europe

Chris Lindborg, Analyst and Program Manager

President Barack Obama made an historic visit to the Pentagon on January 5, 2012 to deliver his remarks on the release of the United States’ “New Global Military Strategy”.

British American Security Information Council

tactical nuclear weapon