United States

The United States invented nuclear weapons, operates the second largest nuclear force in the world and holds the dubious distinction of being the only country to use these weapons in combat. As a result, the U.S. has a special responsibility to lead the way in reducing its own nuclear weapons stockpile and calling for other nuclear armed nations to follow suite. Following is analysis and opinion from Ploughshares Fund staff, grantees and guests on the ongoing struggle to deal with nuclear weapons in the United States.

  • Obama taps Russia specialist for arms control post

    President Obama plans to nominate Rose Gottemoeller, a specialist in Russian defense and nuclear issues, for assistant secretary of state for verification and compliance.  Gottemoeller, a former Energy Department official, is now at the Ploughshares-funded Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 

    March 17, 2009 - By Sarah Brown

  • New report on U.S. policy toward Russia

    The Commission on U.S. Policy toward Russia released a report titled The Right Direction for U.S. Policy toward Russia.  Co-chaired by Ploughshares Fund board member Hon.

    March 16, 2009 - By Sarah Brown

  • Reports question U.S. missile shield in Europe

    The proposed U.S. missile defense system in Europe would cost billions and still may fail.

    March 15, 2009 - By Sarah Brown

  • Snake Oil and Missile Defense

    by Alexandra Bell and Ben Loehrke of the Ploughshares Fund

    Missile defense is on the chopping block.  Carried through the Bush years by obsessive theology and highly staged tests, the new administration is now insisting that the weapons prove their effectiveness, affordability and necessity.

    March 13, 2009 - By Alexandra Bell

  • Rachel Maddow on MSNBC: Domestic nuclear terrorism

    The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC featured a story on a thwarted attempt at to build a dirty bomb intended for the Presidential inauguration.  Joe Cirincione was invited to comment on the threa

    March 12, 2009 - By Sarah Brown

  • Trita Parsi testifies before the House

    Dr.

    March 12, 2009 - By Anonymous

  • Defensible Missile Defense

    by Theodore Postol, Cambridge, MA

    In his recent letter to President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia, President Obama offered to modify the previous administration’s plans for a missile defense system in Europe. He was right to do so. A continued impasse with Russia might have prevented future arms reductions, created divisions with our European allies, done irreparable harm at the 2010 review of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and impaired efforts to deal with Iran’s growing potential to become a nuclear weapons state.

    March 11, 2009 - By Anonymous

  • Speech to World Affairs Council

    An audience at the Maine Medical Center listened to speaker Joe Cirincione on the Future of Nuclear Weapons Policy.  Cirincione used his Portland appearance to reveal the Obama Administration’s developing plans to stem nuclear proliferation in the 21st Century.

    March 9, 2009 - By Joe Cirincione

  • Pentagon's unwanted projects in earmarks

    Democratic lawmakers added an estimated $524 million in defense earmarks that the Pentagon did not request to the 2008 appropriations bill, about $220 million more than Republicans did.

    March 8, 2009 - By Anonymous

  • Discussion of Obama's nuclear policy on KQED-FM

    Listen to a discussion of President Obama's nuclear policy with San Francisco talk show host Michael Krasney.

    March 5, 2009 - By Sarah Brown