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Israeli generals balk at PM’s Iran policy
WASHINGTON — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convinced that Iran is on the verge of acquiring a nuclear weapon. He believes that the Iranians cannot be deterred through diplomacy, and he views the Iranian threat as one that may bring about a second Jewish Holocaust. His generals disagree. Read more »
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Posted by Joel Rubin on May 3, 2012
Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Lt. Gen Benny Gantz, Mossad, national security, Tamir Pardo, Military Strategy, Iran
Five Principles for a Nuclear Deal with Iran
Negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program will soon morph into technical discussions about levels of uranium enrichment, nuclear inspections protocol, and fuel swaps. As the negotiations proceed, policymakers – particularly in Washington – will grow increasingly nervous about the prospects for a nuclear deal. Read more »
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Posted by Joel Rubin on April 20, 2012
Diplomacy with Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran Negotiations, Istanbul, Politics, Iran
What Nuclear Weapons Cost Us – It’s the Right Time for a Debate
The debate over the extent to which the U.S. government is committing itself to spending vast sums of taxpayer dollars on nuclear weapons and related programs over the next decade is in full force in Congress, inside the administration, and in the media. Read more »
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Posted by Joel Rubin on December 20, 2011
nonproliferation, Cold War, Congressional Budget Office, Nuclear Budget, Nuclear Budget Debate, Nuclear Triad
@plough_shares meets @whitehouse
It’s not every day that you get to ask questions of the White House and expect an instant answer. Today, however, that’s exactly the opportunity that we have. Read more »
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Posted by Joel Rubin on November 18, 2011
Jon Carson, Partners, President, Social media, Twitter, White House Office of Public Engagement, Obama
What We Spend on Nuclear Weapons
The United States is projected to spend $700 billion on nuclear weapons and related programs during the next ten years. As federal budgets tighten and officials address the most pressing national security needs of the 21st century, the substantial cost of nuclear weapons must be fully examined. By understanding these costs and setting effective national security priorities, policymakers can reduce nuclear budget excesses incurred by the active stockpile of approximately 5,000 nuclear weapons. Read more »
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Posted by Joel Rubin on September 14, 2011
Budget Crisis, Current threats, Fiscal responsibility, National security priorities, Nuclear Budget, Nuclear weapons complex
Greater Impact, Greater Presence
We are very proud to be launching a new website today. Our new site comes at an exciting time. Ploughshares Fund is revving up strategic campaigns to reduce the nuclear weapons budget, accelerate cuts in U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, and promote a diplomatic resolution to Iran’s nuclear program. We are also amplifying our work to promote stability in South Asia, roll back North Korea’s nuclear program, and promote the vision of a nuclear weapon-free world. Read more »
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Posted by Joel Rubin on August 18, 2011
How the Debt Deal Creates an Opportunity to Cut Nuclear Weapons
As the dust settles on the debt ceiling deal, it’s become clear that major cuts to defense spending have not only been approved in a bipartisan manner by Congress, but that even more are on the way. This means that the days of unlimited defense spending increases, where all systems can be purchased, are over. Read more »
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Posted by Joel Rubin on August 3, 2011
bloated weapons systems, Nuclear Budget, Nuclear Weapons, Pentagon, U.S. Foreign Policy, Defense Budget, United States
Dealing With Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons During the Afghanistan Withdrawal
Now that President Obama has decided to end the surge in Afghanistan by late next year, and to bring the troops home by 2014, a clear vision about the American military presence in the region has begun to emerge. Yet paradoxically, the most stunning success of our operations in the region – the killing of Osama bin Laden – has exposed an even more serious potential menace: the insecurity of Pakistan’s nuclear program. Read more »
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Posted by Joel Rubin on July 7, 2011
India,Pakistan & Afghanistan, Nuclear Weapons, U.S. Foreign Policy, Iran, Conflict & Regional Security, United States