The United States and Iran have been engaged in negotiations for over a year in an attempt to reach a new agreement meant to curb Iranian nuclear activities.[1] The final form of the agreement has yet to be determined. Whatever is finally agreed on will likely be very imperfect. Even an imperfect agreement is worth … Continue reading Choosing the Least Bad Option: Restoring the Iran Nuclear Agreement
Category: US Foreign Policy
Fallout at Home Base: Nuclear Testing within the United States
The United States conducted the world’s first test of a nuclear weapon in New Mexico on July 16, 1945.[1] The test was followed in August by the use of nuclear weapons against Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Although the wartime use of nuclear weapons has mercifully never been repeated since 1945, nuclear testing was repeated. From the … Continue reading Fallout at Home Base: Nuclear Testing within the United States
A Time to End the Killing: The Significance of Ayman al-Zawahiri’s Death
Ayman al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian doctor who became the head of al Qaeda, reportedly met his death on July 30. President Joseph Biden announced that Zawahiri had been killed in Kabul, Afghanistan, by a US airstrike.[1] The airstrike may have been carried out with a missile fired by a drone.[2] The US killing of Zawahiri, who … Continue reading A Time to End the Killing: The Significance of Ayman al-Zawahiri’s Death
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
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
Peacemaking for Life 