NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION
March 11, 2009
"Iran's Nuclear Deception"
Op-Ed, Boston Globe
By William H. Tobey, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"We probably will never know whether the case of the found enriched uranium was a mistake or a feint. That uncertainty, however, and the horrible consequences of a significant lapse in our ability to monitor Iran's nuclear program should lead the IAEA, the Obama administration, and our European negotiating partners to exercise great caution in considering proposals that would depend on intricate and foolproof verification schemes."
Spring 2009
Preventing Nuclear Terrorism: Agenda for the President's Opening Weeks in Office
Newsletter Article, Belfer Center Newsletter
By Matthew Bunn, Associate Professor of Public Policy; Co-Principal Investigator, Project on Managing the Atom; Co-Principal Investigator, Energy Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment (ERD3) Policy Project and Andrew Newman, Research Associate, Project on Managing the Atom
President Barack Obama took office in a world where the danger that terrorists could get and use a nuclear bomb remains very real. He should take several key steps in the opening weeks of his administration:This article is adapted from "Preventing Nuclear Terrorism: An Agenda for the Next President" (November 2008) by Matthew Bunn and Andrew Newman. For full text, see: http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/18673.
Spring 2009
"Rolf Mowatt-Larssen and William Tobey Named Senior Fellows"
Newsletter Article, Belfer Center Newsletter
By Sharon Wilke, Associate Director of Communications
Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, former director of the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and former head of the Central Intelligence Agency's WMD and terrorism efforts, has joined the Belfer Center as a senior fellow along with William H. Tobey, until recently the deputy administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation at the DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
Spring 2009
"Panel Calls on President and Congress to Address WMD Proliferation"
Newsletter Article, Belfer Center Newsletter
By Sasha Talcott, Director of Communications and Outreach
Belfer Center director Graham Allison served on the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, which released its report in December. The congressionally appointed Commission called on then President-elect Barack Obama and Congress to immediately initiate several concrete actions, unilaterally and with the international community, to address the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction that pose the greatest peril: nuclear and biological weapons.
February 26, 2009
Harvard Kennedy School’s Ashton Carter Nominated as Pentagon’s Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics
Press Release
By Beth Maclin, Communications Assistant and Dr. Ashton B. Carter, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project (on leave), Harvard & Stanford Universities
President Barack Obama announced Monday that he has nominated Dr. Ashton B. Carter to serve as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.
Spring 2009
"Schlesinger Reports Call Attention to Nuclear Mission and Deterrence"
Newsletter Article, Belfer Center Newsletter
By Beth Maclin, Communications Assistant
Two groups focusing on nuclear weapons, both chaired by James Schlesinger – former secretary of energy, defense, and central intelligence and head of the Belfer Center International Council – recently released reports detailing the threats facing and challenges of the United States’ nuclear stockpile and policy.
Winter 2008/2009
"The Art of Mediating Regional Conflict in Asia"
Journal Article, Asian Affairs, volume 29
By Jason Qian and Xiaohui (Anne) Wu, Associate, International Security Program/Project on Managing the Atom
Mediating regional conflict in Asia is a delicate art. It requires acute understanding of the unique mediation culture in the region. China’s largely successful mediation in the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula reveals key elements of this art and offers useful lessons.
February 2009
"Exporting the Bomb: Why States Provide Sensitive Nuclear Assistance"
Journal Article, American Political Science Review, issue 1, volume 103
By Matthew Kroenig, Affiliate, Project on Managing the Atom
Why do states provide sensitive nuclear assistance to nonnuclear weapon states, contributing to the international spread of nuclear weapons? Using a new dataset on sensitive nuclear transfers, this paper analyzes the determinants of sensitive nuclear assistance. Dr. Kroenig first describes a simple logic of the differential effects of nuclear proliferation, which is used to generate hypotheses about the conditions under which states provide sensitive nuclear assistance. He then shows that the strategic characteristics of the potential nuclear suppliers are the most important determinants of sensitive nuclear assistance. Explanations that emphasize the importance of economic motivations do not find support in the data. This paper presents a new approach to the study of the spread of nuclear weapons, focusing on the supply side of nuclear proliferation.
January 29, 2009
William H. Tobey Named Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Press Release
By Sharon Wilke, Associate Director of Communications and William H. Tobey, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
William H. Tobey, deputy administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation at the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) from 2006 to 2009 and a Harvard Kennedy School graduate (MPP ‘84), will start February 2nd as a senior fellow at the Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, where he will work with the Center’s nuclear team.
January 22, 2009
World At Risk: The Report of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism
Testimony
By Graham Allison, Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; Douglas Dillon Professor of Government; Faculty Chair, Dubai Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School
Belfer Center Director Graham Allison testified before the House Armed Services Committee about the findings of "World At Risk," the report produced by the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.
