Richter Scales and Geiger Counters

Posted by Paul Carroll
on May 17, 2008; 

This past week the world has been gripped by the tragedies in Myanmar and China, epic natural events that have killed tens if not hundreds of thousands of people.  Our thoughts and hopes are for rapid and effective assistance for those left homeless and injured by the cyclone and earthquake.  These events, while beyond human control, nonetheless point out what is within our power to change.  

Nuclear plant fails security test.

on May 15, 2008; From Time Online

How safe are American nukes? Not so safe, even alarmingly unsafe, according to two Ploughshares Fund grantees.  In late April, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory tested its security systems in a force-on-force exercise. The mock terrorist attack revealed a system in need of repair, as “terrorists” attacked and penetrated the lab, and as Time Magazine online reports, “quickly overpowering its defenses to reach its 'objective' — a mock payload of fissile material.”

The responsibility to protect Myanmar's people.

Posted by Deborah Bain
on May 13, 2008; From The Guardian

The world has watched in disbelief over the past week as the devastation wrought by Cyclone Nargis has been compounded by the intransigence of Myanmar's military rulers in blocking desperately needed humanitarian aid from reaching the victims of the disaster.  Many observers are calling for the invocation the "responsibility to protect," commonly known as R2P.

40+ countries seeking nuclear power, raising proliferation concerns.

Posted by Deborah Bain
on May 12, 2008; From Washington Post

At least 40 developing countries have recently signalled to the UN their interest in starting nuclear power programs, writes Joby Warrick in today's Washington Post, including at least a half dozen who plan to build uranium enrichment or reprocessing facilities.  Proliferation experts warn that such developments could provide the building blocks of nuclear arsenals. "This is not primarily about nuclear energy. It's a hedge against Iran," said Ploughshares Fund president Joseph Cirincione. "They're saying, 'If there's going to be an arms race, we're going to be in it.'"

Iran and the presidential candidates.

Posted by Deborah Bain
on May 08, 2008; From NPR

Who can forget Senator John McCain singing "bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran," at a campaign appearance last year? Or Senator Hillary Clinton saying recently that the U.S. would "totally obliterate" Iran if it were to consider attacking Israel with a nuclear weapon.  Fortunately, reports NPR's Mike Shuster, all three candidates offer more nuanced and less bellicose language when asked detailed, substantive questions, as posed to them by the Ploughshares-funded Institute for Science and International Security.