Republican leaders are negotiating with President Barack Obama over a package to prevent America, now awash in $16.25 trillion public debt, from going over the “fiscal cliff,” to prevent a ruinous plunge in America’s global credit standing. Alas, Republicans seem ready to fall into a classic political trap: sharing blame if a deal goes wrong while getting none of the Read More ›
It was a tragic coincidence that Monday, April 1, 2013 was both the last day of the Jewish celebration of Passover and the 34th anniversary of the 1979 referendum establishing the Islamic Republic of Iran, under the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Ironically as well, it was the day after Western Christendom’s Easter Sunday. At noon that Monday, a Liberian-flagged freighter passed Read More ›
THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS brought to global public consciousness the fear that rogue nations might use nuclear weapons or transfer them to terrorist groups, or that terrorists might themselves make a nuclear bomb. The first fear has far more foundation than does the second. The good news is that it is very hard to make bombs; the bad news is Read More ›
Begin with recent nuclear weapon-related developments: China tests new missiles, including road-mobile and nuclear submarine-launched ballistic missiles, plus multiple warhead missiles whose deployment will give China a nuclear first-strike capability. Viktor Yesin, a former chief of Russia’s Strategic Rocket Forces, publicly places the Chinese nuclear arsenal at 1,600 to 1,800 warheads, with half operationally deployed and the remainder in storage, Read More ›
In a recent interview with the Business Insider, I said that “problems in Iran and Syria are ‘wonderful for the Russian economy.’” I meant it. Adam Taylor’s article, “For all the bluster, these three reasons show Russia’s position on Iran may be surprisingly sane” explores well why Russia is interested in the ambiguity around Iranian nuclear program. In brief, two Read More ›
The recent unintentional Koran burnings and the mass anti-American demonstrations and killings of four American officers have occasioned not only abject apologies from President Obama and our military commanders but the usual excuses from the American State Department and their foreign policy think tank friends. “We must work harder to gain the trust of our Afghan allies” goes the chorus. Read More ›
Most people are surprised when I tell them that I recently returned from a trip to Cuba. They are even more surprised when I tell them I flew directly from Miami to Havana. That is because, until recently, our government did not allow direct flights between Cuba and the United States. That has changed. Today, there are several flights a Read More ›
To many observers, Russia often appears to be dragging its feet in international condemnation of Iran. Last month, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was quick to say that after military attack on Iran the “consequences will be truly catastrophic, their real scope impossible to imagine.” Russia has also frequently pushed against the use of sanctions on Iran. This week it called Read More ›
The Partnership: Five Cold Warriors and Their Quest to Ban the Bomb By Philip Taubman (HarperCollins Books, 478 pages, $29.99) Just as an Israeli airstrike against Iran appears increasingly likely, author Philip Taubman has published a book celebrating a growing movement among movers and shakers aiming to abolish nuclear weapons as soon as possible. The effort is spearheaded by some Read More ›
Blink of an Eye by William S. Cohen (Tom Doherty Associates Book, 368 pages, $24.99) Former Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen has published this, his second novel, and struck terrifying gold. Blink of an Eye compellingly presents a nightmare nuclear scenario that has kept national security professionals and senior political leadership awake nights since September 11, 2001: a nuclear bomb detonates, Read More ›