Air Force Warms Over Plans to Address Nuclear Morale Problems

February 12, 2014 | Edited by Lauren Mladenka and Geoff Wilson

Try, try again - “Five years ago the Air Force considered a series of proposals to boost morale and fix performance and security lapses in its nuclear missile corps,” writes Robert Burns for AP. “But many fell short or died on the vine, and now, with the force again in crisis, it's retracing those earlier steps.”

--The new effort, which may include higher pay and other incentives for missileers, “is more far-reaching, on a tighter timetable and backed by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. So it appears to hold more promise for an Air Force under scrutiny after a variety of embarrassing setbacks and missteps raised questions about whether some of the world's most fearsome weapons are being properly managed.”

--However, “some who have studied military personnel issues say they doubt financial incentives would make much difference, pointing instead to more fundamental problems,” Burns says. "If the missile force can't convince its people that what they are doing is really important, that it isn't a military and strategic backwater and/or obsolete, no combination of programmatic incentives can really fix things," said a Congressional Research Service defense expert. Full article here. http://bit.ly/1fgniGl

--See also: “Seeking Nuclear Cures, Air Force Retraces Old Path” by Robert Burns for AP. http://abcn.ws/1eTWlMd

Tweet - @NSCPress: On March 3 POTUS will host @IsraeliPM Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House -- demonstration of deep & enduring bonds between US & #Israel.

Korea talks - “North and South Korean officials held their highest level talks for years Wednesday, seeking to thrash out common ground for improving ties despite a row over looming South Korea-US military drills,” reports Park Chan-Kyong for the AFP. “The discussions in the border truce village of Panmunjom had no fixed agenda, but aimed to cover a range of "major" issues, including a planned February 20-25 reunion for family members divided by the Korean War.”

--“It was the first such high-level sit-down between the two sides since 2007, and came a day before US Secretary of State John Kerry's arrival in Seoul for a brief visit focused on North Korea. The North wants to resume talks with Seoul and Washington on nuclear matters, but both have insisted that Pyongyang must first make a tangible commitment to abandoning nuclear weapons.” Get the full story here. http://bit.ly/MclDKQ

Tweet - @carnegienpp: Watch @MarwanMuasher discuss the Iran nuclear deal with @wolfblitzer http://ow.ly/twcp4

Sanctions enforcement - "[French] President Hollande and I agree on the need to continue enforcing existing sanctions even as we believe that new sanctions during these negotiations would endanger the possibility of a diplomatic solution," said President Obama in a press conference with President Hollande. Jim Loney has the story in Reuters. http://reut.rs/1fgpGgl

Quick hits:

--“A Deal on Iran's Nuclear Programme is Within Reach – But Only if There is Political Will” by Hamid Babaei in The Guardian. http://bit.ly/1boRlQX

--“Obama Greets France’s Leader, But Warns Against Doing Business with Iran” by Mark Landler in The New York Times. http://nyti.ms/1hc4H5l

--“Iran’s President Marks Revolution with Call for Negotiations” bt Peter Kenyon for NPR. http://n.pr/1gucQgv

--“Heavy lifting ahead in the Japan-India nuclear deal” by Masako Toki for The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. http://bit.ly/1bX6XsD

Events:

--“Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare.” Book launch with Gareth Porter. Feb. 13 from 12:00-1:30 at Public Citizen, 1600 20th St. NW. RSVP online. http://bit.ly/M5i1KI

--“U.S.-Russian Relations in the 21st Century.” Discussion with Angela Stent, Fiona Hill, and Peter Baker. Feb. 18 from 2:00-3:30 at Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. RSVP here. http://bit.ly/1bqFDTe

--“Reestablishing US Diplomatic Presence in Iran.” Discussion with Ramin Asgard, John Limbert, Morad Ghorban; moderated by Barbara Slavin. Feb. 19 at 10:00 at the Atlantic Council, 1030 15th St. NW, 12th floor. RSVP here.http://bit.ly/1lp96QC

--“A Preview of the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit.” Discussion with Graham Allison. Feb. 20 from 6:00-8:00 at George Washington University, Lindner Family Commons, Room 602, 1957 E St. NW. RSVP here. http://bit.ly/1iR0oZY