AIDemocracy.org | nuclear weapons

Depleted uranium: Side effects of nuclear weapons development

April 20, 2012 by Ana Ila Leave a Comment

Since their use in the Gulf War for the first time, depleted uranium penetrators continue to haunt most areas where the US troops were deployed in the Middle East. However, the threat they pose to people and their connections to nuclear weapons have been overlooked by most politicians and civilians. Depleted uranium (DU) is a lethal weapon. DU is a highly concentrated substance left over from the enrichment process that produces nuclear fuel and bombs. DU bullets were developed in the 1970s with the purpose of destroying top-line Soviet tanks. As a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: depleted uranium, New START, nuclear weapons

A Brief Analysis of Iranian Global Relations Part II: China, India, IAEA

April 20, 2012 by Emily Leave a Comment

In my previous post, I discussed two groups dealing with the Iranian nuclear problem: that which actively supports sanctions and that which objects to them. The issue, however, is not black and white: between the countries that actively support unilateral and multilateral sanctions and those that staunchly condemn them lies a third group of quasi-supporters that privately limit their financial interaction with Iran, despite public condemnations of Western sanctions. China and India (two of the five BRIC countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Brazil, China, EU, Government, human rights, India, Iran, nuclear, nuclear weapons, oil, reform, Russia, sanctions, South Africa, trade

New START without nuclear weapons

April 5, 2012 by Ana Ila Leave a Comment

On April 8, 2010, President Obama signed the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), a treaty between the United States and Russia regulating the buildup of nuclear weapons. The treaty entered into force in 2011. New START is a beginning of a new chapter, a “new step,” after the Cold War as the US faces new challenges in foreign affairs. There are benefits to the New START. According to Lindborg, ratification of New START signified a shift in nuclear arms control and an improvement in severely damaged Russian-U.S. relations. The cap was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Cold War, New START, nuclear weapons, Russia

War against Iran: an ambitious attempt

February 20, 2012 by Ana Ila 1 Comment

According to Lt. Gen. Ronald Burgess, Iran has the missile capability to reach Eastern Europe and the entire Middle East. Though the US is militarily the most powerful country in the world, Iran is capable of significant retribution for any U.S. or Western attacks. Iran can significantly damage US interests in the region. According to Lt. Gen. Burgess, Iran can close the Strait of Hormuz and reduce the oil supply to the world. Iran can bomb all of Eastern Europe, including US allies. Iran can bomb US facilities in Iraq or Afghanistan. It can also … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Afghanistan, Cold War, Iran, Iraq, nuclear weapons, sleeper cells

Get Used to the Orange Jumpsuit

December 27, 2011 by Patrick McDermott 2 Comments

The date is Tuesday, September 11th, 2012. I had just gotten back from seeing my family for the Christmas holiday. I’m sitting in the living room of my apartment, and I’m on my computer getting ready to write a critique of US foreign policy 11 years after 9/11. But just when I’m about to begin, there’s a knock on my door. I’m wasn't accustomed to getting knocks on my door, as I lived in an apartment complex and visitors were few and far between. In looking through the peephole, I realized there were two police officers standing outside my door. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Afghanistan, aid, China, climate change, Congress, democracy, education, foreign policy, global warming, Iran, Iraq, law, Libya, military, nuclear weapons, Obama, poverty, Somalia, terrorism, war, Yemen

Many nukes treaties, too little action

December 21, 2011 by Ana Ila Leave a Comment

On December 6 Indonesia ratified the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). However, their ratification points to the fact that eight countries, some of which possess nuclear weapons, have not ratified it: the United States, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, Egypt, Iran, and North Korea. It is known that most of the countries on this list are in some kind of a dispute with their neighboring country and thus refuse to ratify the treaty. However, whereas the US action not to ratify the treaty is plausible due to the fact that such action would expose their … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, Deterrence, Indonesia, Middle East, New START, nuclear weapons, US foreign policy, war

A Nuclear Weapons Free World: A Best Thing to Do

October 24, 2011 by Ana Ila 2 Comments

While groups such as Global Zero fight for a nuclear weapons free world, their opponents argue for a secure world through their usage as a deterrence policy. Whereas many analysts have indicated that presence of nuclear weapons increases a chance of nuclear proliferation, the fact that nuclear know – how is present and spread around the world, makes a total elimination of nuclear weapons on behalf of the USA a danger to its allies. At the same time, many countries need nuclear energy for the civilian purposes. Thus, a middle way is needed: one where … [Read more...]

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Reykjavik Summit: A Long Road to Success

October 8, 2011 by Ana Ila Leave a Comment

On October 11 and 12 in 1986, two of the greatest military powers of the world met together to discuss mission impossible. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev discussed the elimination of all ballistic missiles held by their two countries, as well as the possibility of eliminating all nuclear weapons. Even though the negotiation failed, the two presidents publicly discussed the dangers of nuclear weapons and a need for mutual cooperation. Despite failure, the Reykjavik meeting led to the signing of the US - Soviet … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: military, nuclear weapons, Pakistan, security, war

Get Your House Rep. to Support Cutting Spending on Nuclear Weapons TODAY!

October 4, 2011 by Patrick McDermott Leave a Comment

Here are some stats that may surprise you: Every year the US spends more than $30 billion maintaining the country’s arsenal of nuclear weapons. Today, the nuclear arsenal still exceeds 5,000 warheads. According to estimates, the US is expected to spend over $700 billion (you read that right, $700 billion!) over the next ten years to maintain weapons that were built during the Cold War, a war that's been over for more than 20 years. Representative Ed Markey (MA-7) has written a “Dear Colleague” letter to his fellow representatives asking … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security, Take Action Tagged With: aid, Cold War, Congress, democracy, foreign aid, nuclear weapons

A Lesson From Japan

September 27, 2011 by Paul Guaglianone Leave a Comment

Nearly 20,000 Japanese citizens participated in an anti-nuclear march last week. It was the kick-off event for a petition that opposes the use of nuclear power as weaponry or energy in Japan. Supporters hope the petition collects over ten million signatures, a number close ten percent of Japan’s population. Their goal is to mark the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami, March 11, 2012, with the submission of their proposal to their government. Of any group of people on earth, I would guess the people of Japan hold the greatest … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: nuclear weapons