The Persisting Threat of Nuclear Weapons: A Brief Primer

The anniversaries of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings mark 77 years since the only wartime uses of nuclear weapons. We should be profoundly grateful that such weapons have never been used again in this way to date. Yet our increasing distance from the bombings carries a risk with it. As the nuclear bombings move further … Continue reading The Persisting Threat of Nuclear Weapons: A Brief Primer →

A Hungry World: How the Ukraine War Worsens a Global Food Crisis

One terrible consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a disruption of the global food supply. The war has obstructed the export of crops and other materials from both Ukraine and Russia. This obstruction has worsened a world food situation already made precarious by climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic. Millions of people are … Continue reading A Hungry World: How the Ukraine War Worsens a Global Food Crisis →

Unholy Trinity: The Terrible Consequences of the First Nuclear Test

The nuclear age officially began when the United States conducted the first atomic bomb test in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. On that day, years of work by civilian and military personnel involved in the Manhattan Project culminated in the use of the most destructive weapon in history. While overshadowed by the wartime use … Continue reading Unholy Trinity: The Terrible Consequences of the First Nuclear Test →

Can the War Be Ended? US-Saudi Relations and the Yemen War

The Biden administration announced on June 14 that the president would visit Saudi Arabia in July. During his trip, President Biden will likely meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that country’s de facto ruler. This planned trip and meeting may be the first steps in a US effort to collaborate with the Saudis … Continue reading Can the War Be Ended? US-Saudi Relations and the Yemen War →

Buy the Time to Make Peace: Seeking a Cease-Fire in the Ukraine War

The Ukraine-Russia war recently passed its 100-day mark. In those 100 days, the war has killed huge numbers of people (precise numbers are unclear) and displaced millions.[1] The war also still threatens to cause harm beyond Ukraine’s borders, whether through a broader conflict between Russia and the west or through an international food crisis. Yet … Continue reading Buy the Time to Make Peace: Seeking a Cease-Fire in the Ukraine War →

In Defense of Detachment: The Different Approaches to Protecting Lives

A commitment to the consistent life ethic is a commitment to protect people’s lives against violence or other threats. This essential commitment is present among all varieties of consistent life advocates and their different approaches to the ethic. Sometimes, though, consistent life advocacy can involve a more personal, concrete, and emotional type of commitment. People … Continue reading In Defense of Detachment: The Different Approaches to Protecting Lives →

Wasted Opportunities? The New Defense Budget and Nuclear Posture Review

The Biden administration released its proposed defense budget for Fiscal Year 2023 earlier this spring. The proposal for military spending was also accompanied by a few details on the administration’s plans related to nuclear weapons. For peace activists, the defense plans contain much to lament, but also one significant positive step. The most obvious feature … Continue reading Wasted Opportunities? The New Defense Budget and Nuclear Posture Review →

Untying the Knot of War: Seek Negotiation, Not Escalation, in Ukraine

The Russian war against Ukraine is nearing its two-month mark with no clear end in sight. The human suffering caused by the war, including reported human rights violations by Russian forces, is terrible to contemplate.[1] Further, the ongoing US confrontation with Russia over Ukraine carries its own set of dangers: a more uncompromising stance toward … Continue reading Untying the Knot of War: Seek Negotiation, Not Escalation, in Ukraine →

A Hidden Cost of the Ukraine War: How Russia’s Invasion Encourages the Spread of Nuclear Weapons

The terrible toll of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is plain to see: thousands killed and millions driven from their homes.[1] The invasion also threatens to bring about a nuclear disaster. Fighting around Ukraine’s nuclear power plants might cause an accident like that at Chernobyl almost 36 years ago.[2] The war also might draw NATO into … Continue reading A Hidden Cost of the Ukraine War: How Russia’s Invasion Encourages the Spread of Nuclear Weapons →

Opposing War amid Repression: Anti-War Efforts in Russia

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has rightly provoked widespread condemnation. Perhaps the most important source of such condemnation has been the Russian people, many of whom have protested or otherwise dissented from their government’s actions. Peace-minded people around the world would do well to acknowledge anti-war efforts in Russia and to recognize our allies in … Continue reading Opposing War amid Repression: Anti-War Efforts in Russia →