Reducing Danger by Moving Missiles Off Alert

July 9, 2012 | Edited by Benjamin Loehrke and Leah Fae Cochran

De-alerting - The chance of a nuclear war between the U.S. and Russia is nearly zero, but both countries keep as many as 1,800 nuclear warheads poised to initiate nuclear war. “This is overkill and unnecessary so long after the Cold War has ended. We think that both countries should ease off the alert status for strategic forces,” writes The Washington Post editorial board.

--In the near future, President Obama is expected to issue new instructions to the military on how to implement the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review. No change in alert posture is expected, in part because of verification and stability concerns. “We agree that verification is difficult, but that is all the more reason to look for ways to make it work,” says the Post. http://wapo.st/MRpw6x

Fighting Iran - In the 1980s, the U.S. backed Iraq during the brutal, 8-year Iran-Iraq war. The consequences of that conflict should be instructive for those who want war with Iran today, writes Bruce Riedel in The Daily beast.

--Riedel’s lessons: The U.S. will be blamed for everything that goes bad with Iran; Iran will not be easily intimidated; Ending war will be a challenge; A handful of air strikes won’t do it; And be careful to weight ally’s advice. http://bit.ly/NCr6p7

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Killing scientists - According to the new book, “Spies Against Armageddon: Inside Israel’s Secret Wars’’, Israel’s Mossad has been behind the targeted killings of Iran’s nuclear scientists. The book is written by two journalists - Dan Raviv of CBS and Yosi Melman of Haaretz.

--”The methodology and training and use of motorcycles is all out of the Mossad playbook. They wouldn’t trust anybody else to do it,” Raviv said in a book interview. Read the review here: http://hrld.us/McHz7A

Tweet - @NTI_GSN: British Ballistic Missile Subs Endure 74 Blazes Over Quarter Century http://bit.ly/McCBrd

Food Aid - Morton Ambramowitz details the food-shortage in North Korea and chastises Congress for withholding food-aid in the wake of the North Korean missile launch last April.

--”The humanitarian community remains uncharacteristically reticent on the continuing disaster -- something of a first,” Abramowitz writes. “By our own standards of human rights and humanitarian principles, the United States should stop stalling on the issue of food assistance and work toward a solution.” The Atlantic has the story. http://bit.ly/LTqFIU

Happy 50th - 50 years ago today, the U.S. detonated a 1 megaton nuclear warhead in space during a series of high-altitude tests under “Project Fishbowl.” After the blast, “all hell broke loose,” writes Discover Magazine. Article on the blast and YouTube video here. http://bit.ly/Mdu02b

Disney in DPRK - A stage show for Kim Jong Un included a performance featuring Disney characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, and Tigger. AP has the story and notes that the Walt Disney Co. did not authorize the performance. http://apne.ws/L3NSEe

No smoking - “Be sure that no open flame, lighted cigarette, or other spark potential is present when the [10 MEGATON HYDROGEN!!] bomb is uncovered and opened or when cleaning and/or stenciling operations are being performed,” says a 1953 report on nuclear weapons retrofitting [emphasis ours]. Alex Wellerstein at Restricted Data found the report. http://bit.ly/MV0x1n