Pork-Based Defense Spending

Pork-based defense decisions - “My ears perked up during the [House of Representatives] discussion of a number of amendments with implications for how the Pentagon spends money on weapons. These debates often have more to do with protecting parochial interests than they do with high-minded discussions of how best to defend the country. Pork barrel politics ... often rules the day. And so it went yesterday afternoon,” writes William Hartung for Huffington Post.

--“The first amendment to catch my attention was a proposal by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) to add $82.4 million in spending for the PAC-3 missile defense system at the expense of programs aimed at ‘minimizing, and, when possible, eliminating weapons-usable nuclear material around the world.’ … A little quick googling revealed that the PAC-3 is built in part by Aerojet General in Camden, Arkansas, located in the 4th District of Arkansas, which is represented by — you guessed it! — Rep. Bruce Westerman.” Full article here. http://huff.to/1Va3oGj

Nuclear transparency in NDAA - “Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment offered by Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) to H.R. 4909, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, that will highlight the true cost of wasteful U.S. nuclear weapons programs.”

--“‘The United States is set to spend too much on nuclear weapons we don’t need, can’t afford, and shouldn’t use. These are resources that will come at the expense of conventional weapons and forces that are necessary now and for the future,’ said Representative Blumenauer… ‘I’m glad that the House took an important step toward smarter spending by passing my amendment to give American taxpayers what they deserve — transparency about the costs of these programs.’” Read the full release from the office of Representative Blumenauer here. http://1.usa.gov/1rWz6LG

Suspend Aegis missile defense interceptors - “Within the last decade, the United States has made several important adjustments to its plans for deploying missile defenses in Europe. In light of the ongoing implementation of the Iran nuclear deal and an objective assessment of Iran’s missile program, it is high time to make another one — suspending the deployment of more advanced Aegis missile defense interceptors to Poland,” writes Greg Thielmann for Arms Control Now.

--“There is considerable financial and political cost in deploying advanced Aegis Ashore interceptors in Poland so far ahead of any commensurate threat. Given the stakes in the West’s confrontation with Russia, the moral high ground need not be yielded so readily. There are other ways to provide reassurance to NATO’s eastern members that are more relevant to their security needs.” Full piece here. http://bit.ly/1XmNf0o

U.S.-Russia rivalry threatens stability- “The United States is moving forward with a multi-decade, multibillion-dollar upgrade of its weapons, which includes the B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb… The U.S. administration is also moving forward with a controversial new nuclear-tipped cruise missile. Russia is expected this year to flight-test a new super-heavy, silo-launched, intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, capable of carrying up to 12 warheads and affectionately dubbed Satan-2, after its much-feared Soviet predecessor,” writes Mike Eckel for Radio Free Europe.

--“Greg Thielmann, senior fellow at the Washington-based Arms Control Association, said Russia's deployment of the new Satan-2 -- its first flight is expected this summer -- was particularly troubling because silo-based missiles are considered more vulnerable to counterstrikes… ‘I'm much less worried about new Russian ICBMs in terms of keeping the overall balance stable, than I am about some of these things that are introducing new technologies into the strategic balance,’” said Thielmann. Full piece here. http://bit.ly/1XC3mYu

Tweet - @ctbto_alerts: #otd in 1953: "Harry" nuclear test produces enough fallout to earn nickname "Dirty Harry" http://bit.ly/1Vbc8w1

The latest on China - “The Pentagon’s latest annual report on Chinese military developments mainly deals with non-nuclear issues, but it also contains important new information about developments in China’s nuclear forces,” writes Hans Kristensen for the Federation of American Scientists. Key takeaways include the relative stability of the size of China’s ICBM force over the past five years, the deployment of a new version of a medium-range ballistic missile and changes to Chinese nuclear policy. Read the full report here. http://bit.ly/1Th6Dwf

Millennials offer new perspective on nuclear issues - “Many world leaders and security experts have expressed concern that millennials have grown up incognizant of the danger posed by nuclear weapons… But instead of being fearful, we and many of our peers are optimistic that our generation’s leadership will help to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again,” write Kiran Sridhar, Ravi Patel and David Jia for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

--“Too many military and political leaders have proved unable to shake off Cold War principles that are obsolete in a more complicated world with a multipolar nuclear threat. On the other hand, young people who lack the proclivity to adhere to outdated defense doctrines are well positioned to develop the new philosophies that are needed in a world with more nuclear actors and a greater risk of nuclear terrorism.” Full article here. http://bit.ly/1OP9w5v

Hiroshima visit will acknowledge human cost - “U.S. President Barack Obama will mention his country's ‘moral responsibility’ to lead efforts to create a world free of nuclear weapons when he visits Hiroshima next week… Asked what kind of message Obama will send from Hiroshima, [speechwriter Ben] Rhodes said, ‘We have to recognize the awful toll that atomic weapons, nuclear weapons, take on people,’” reports Yukiko Toyoda for Kyodo News. http://bit.ly/1U1ZCcU

Video - Watch Joe Cirincione, James Fallows, Heather Hurlburt, Christopher Fettweis and Peter Leyden discuss security and fear in this panel from Reinvent. http://bit.ly/27vJPgv

How Iran is changing - PRI’s The World created interactive graphics showing how Iran has changed since the implementation of the Iran Deal. “The IAEA says cuts to Iran's nuclear stockpile and centrifuges have already happened; nuclear plant modifications are being done in phases. Swipe and move the slider left or right to see more details as laid out in the deal.” The graphics show the number of centrifuges, access to assets, GDP growth, uranium stockpile and break-out time. http://bit.ly/1rTE1No

Video - Watch Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) support the Iran Deal during the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing Tuesday. http://cs.pn/1U1Bgmt

Tweet - @NIACAction: #IranianAmericans support the #IranDeal because it means keeping American & Iranian families safe from unnecessary war. #DiplomacyWins

Video - Watch Kate Gould explain the value of diplomacy and the results of the Iran Deal for Burning Issues. http://bit.ly/1WEeZis

Quick Hits:

--“What the Pope Saw at Hiroshima,” by Robin Wright for The New Yorker. http://bit.ly/27hJ0Yx

--“The Iran Deal: Myth and Reality,” by Jeremy Bernstein for NYR Daily. http://bit.ly/22fGiPv

--“Bombs Over Bridges?” by Miriam Pemberton for U.S. News and World Report. http://bit.ly/1W4hz0Q

Events:

--“Overseas Contingency Operations: Long-term Impacts and Alternatives.” May 24 from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. at the Stimson Center, 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW, Eighth Floor, Washington. RSVP online. http://bit.ly/1V95MNs

--“Budget Futures: Some Assessment of the Nuclear Enterprise and Missile Defense,” with Todd Harrison, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Evan Montgomery, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment. Part of the Huessy Congressional Breakfast Series. May 26 at 8:00 a.m. at the Capitol Hill Club, 300 First St. SE, Washington. RSVP online. http://conta.cc/25ULZFH

--“Global Nuclear Challenges and Solutions for the Next U.S. President,” with Benjamin Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor to the President, and Setsuko Thurlow, Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor, and seven other speakers. June 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Carnegie Endowment, Root Room, 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington. RSVP online. http://bit.ly/23rIEK8