Disturbances in the Force: Ethics and Security Lapses in the ICBM Fleet

March 31, 2014 | Edited by Lauren Mladenka and Geoff Wilson

Poor leadership - “A basic contradiction lies at the root of an exam-cheating scandal that decimated the ranks of an Air Force nuclear missile group, investigators say: Commanders were demanding perfection in testing and ethics but also tacitly condoned rule-bending or even willfully ignored cheating,” reports AP. “An Air Force investigation concluded that no commanders participated in or knew about the specific forms of cheating in which 91 missile officers were implicated at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. But nine commanders, representing nearly the entire operational chain of command in the 341st Missile Wing, were fired and the wing commander, Col. Robert Stanley, was allowed to resign.”

-- “‘From the perspective of a young company-grade officer looking up the chain of command, leadership has delivered conflicting messages’ on integrity and test performance, the report said. Leaders pressured young officers to achieve high scores ‘while tacitly condoning’ acts that ‘take care of’ crew members who might otherwise fall short of the expected perfect result,’ it said.”

--“Beyond the investigation at Malmstrom, the Pentagon is undertaking two broader reviews of problems inside the ICBM force, including training failures, low morale and security lapses that The Associated Press documented over the past year. One of those reports is due in April, the other in June.” Full story here. http://n.pr/1i84b41

Editors’ note - Early Warning will be offline tomorrow as we move offices. We will return to our regular schedule on Wednesday, sending out the first edition from the new Ploughshares Fund DC home base on Vermont Ave.

Test of “a new form” - “North Korea threatened on Sunday to carry out a ‘new form’ of nuclear test, a year after its third nuclear test raised military tensions on the divided Korean Peninsula and prompted the United Nations to tighten sanctions against the North,” reports Choe Sang-Hun in The New York Times, though “the North’s Foreign Ministry did not clarify what it meant by a ‘new form’ in its statement.”

--“North Korea later told South Korea that it will carry out live-fire military drills on Monday near the rivals’ disputed western sea border, the scene of naval skirmishes in recent years. It designated seven zones for its drills and warned South Korean fishing boats out of the areas, the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the South Korean military said.” Read the full story here. http://nyti.ms/1hrQPBJ

Tweet - @NTI_GSN: After Nuclear-Test Threat, North Korea Exchanges Artillery Fire with South http://bit.ly/1gHyGA9

Offering assistance - “South Korean President Park Geun-hye proposed a broad range of economic aid for impoverished North Korea on Friday if it agrees to give up its nuclear program,” writes Jack Kim in Reuters. Park “also offered to help the North join the international financial system and proposed the establishment of liaison offices on both sides to promote exchanges.” Full story here. http://reut.rs/1rXOy67

North Korea rebuked - “Members of the U.N. Security Council in a Thursday closed-door session reportedly rebuked North Korea for its test earlier this week of two ballistic missiles,” Global Security Newswire reports. “Multiple council envoys said further discussions probably would be held next week on potential new measures against North Korea. An unidentified Western diplomat told the news service it would ‘be an appropriate response’ to broaden the number of North Korean entities under U.N. sanctions. Whether the council decides to expand the sanctions list will depend largely on China's willingness to go along. Beijing on a number of previous occasions has protected North Korea from Security Council punishments.” Read the full article here. http://bit.ly/1ohUqaI

Tweet - @globalzero: "Impossible to state any direct benefits Britain has gained from having possession of #nukes." - Sir Hugh Beach: http://bit.ly/1mF3Qvf

Going too far - “Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and other members of Congress are right to be concerned that Russia may not be complying with the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty,” writes Tom Collina in Arms Control Now. “The State Department confirmed in January that Russia may have breached the agreement by testing a new cruise missile, and the administration has formally taken up the issue with Moscow.”

--“But Rubio and his colleagues go too far with a March 25 resolution that would hold Russia accountable for ‘being in material breach of its obligations’ under the treaty by calling for a halt to U.S. implementation of further strategic nuclear reductions, a move that would likely trigger a similar Russian response. Rubio’s resolution is premature at best and, if adopted, would undermine broader U.S. national security interests.” Full piece here. http://bit.ly/1feAbEX

Realistic approach - Iran and six world powers can reach a comprehensive nuclear deal by agreeing on Iran’s practical needs for enrichment, which are limited in the near term; as well as on technical modifications that could be made to the Arak reactor and turning the Fordo enrichment site into a research and development facility, former U.S. nuclear negotiator Robert Einhorn writes in a paper to be released by the Brookings Institution Monday.

--“Einhorn, in his Brookings paper, ‘Preventing a Nuclear Armed-Iran: Requirements for a Comprehensive Iran Nuclear Deal,’ released to Al-Monitor in advance, proposes that Iran and the P5+1 define the practical needs for Iran’s civil nuclear program. ‘Indeed, Iran’s actual need to produce enriched uranium for fueling reactors is quite limited, at least in the near and middle terms,’ he writes. ‘Proposed modifications to Arak [would make it] better for producing medical isotopes,’ he said.” Get the full story from Laura Rozen of al-Monitor here. http://bit.ly/1dKewGe

Hanford leaks - “A contractor at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington state has identified two possible sources of fumes that have sickened 18 workers over the past two weeks at the nation’s most contaminated nuclear weapons site,” the AP reports. “Washington River Protection Solutions said Thursday an investigation found a cut in insulation at a pump and liquid in unused equipment at the tank farms holding radioactive and chemical wastes.”

--“All the workers who reported symptoms have been cleared to return to work, including four who were sent to a hospital… Hanford tanks hold 56 million gallons of waste from nuclear weapons production.” Full report here. http://bit.ly/1ggkAkl

No market - “There is no market for Mixed Oxide – or MOX – fuel made from weapons-grade plutonium, and this is the elephant in the room that politicians do not address. In the lure of government money and jobs, they are willing to see the $30 billion spent to make this, so far, unmarketable product,” writes Maxine Dexter an Aiken Standard letter to the editor. “The Department of Energy should be commended for the judicious decision to find a less expensive solution for disposal of 34 tons of weapons-grade plutonium.” Full piece here. http://bit.ly/1mpoAnN

Quick-hits:

--“Congress Eyes New Iran Terror Sanctions After Failed Nuclear-Penalties Push” in Global Security Newswire. http://bit.ly/1mEWHey

--“MOX 102: A Look at Agreements Between DOE, the State” by Derek Asberry in the Aiken Standard. http://bit.ly/1lhKsBR

--“The Forgotten Principles of Deterrence” by Paul Pillar for The National Interest http://bit.ly/1hrESvR

--“Program Needs Funding to Keep Eye on Nukes” by Sen. Charleta Tavares in The Columbus Dispatch. http://bit.ly/O8G8bL

Events:

--“Proliferation Prevention Programs at the Department of Energy and at the Department of Defense.” Hearing from the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities with Anne Harrington, Rebecca Hersman, and Kenneth Myers. April 1 at 2:15. Webcast available from the committee website. http://1.usa.gov/1pyQqQv

--“Creating a Legacy for the Nuclear Security Summit.” Discussion with Kenneth Luongo and Sharon Squassoni. April 2 from 12:00-1:30 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2nd floor conference room A, 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. RSVP by email to PPP@csis.org

--“Hearing on Ballistic Missile Defense Policies and Programs.” Hearing from the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces with Elaine Bunn, Michael Gilmore, Vice Adm. James Syring, and Cristina Chaplain. April 2 at 2:30. Webcast available from committee website. http://1.usa.gov/1gguXEV