An update on nuclear arms control, national security and Pentagon spending from the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
What’s News:
Throwing Money at the Pentagon Won’t Make Us Safer
The Pentagon maintains the largest discretionary budget of any federal executive department, yet it is the only major federal agency that cannot pass an audit. To know why President Trump’s calls from more funding will not improve national security, read Executive Director John Tierney’s op-ed in The National Interest here.
Trump Wants to Raise Military Spending – But Cut Everything Else
President Trump’s pledge to oversee “one of the greatest military buildups in American history” will expand the federal deficit, make us less safe and potentially contribute to geopolitical destabilization. To understand the problems associated with his proposal, read a POLITICO article here.
President Trump’s call for “one of the greatest military build-ups in American history,” without explaining how he will pay for it, willfully ignores the current Pentagon budget that is larger than the Cold War average and breeds waste, fraud, and abuse. To read the full Center press release, click here.
Press Release: Correcting Trump’s Alternative Facts on Nuclear Policy
President Trump’s comments – yet again – implying the need for a new nuclear build-up and denouncing a pivotal arms control agreement between the United States and Russia upheave decades of bipartisan policy in Washington and place the American people at risk. To read the full Center press release, click here.
Center in the Press:
To read a LA Times article quoting Center Senior Science Fellow Philip E. Coyle III on a national missile defense test failure, click here.
To read a Washington Post article quoting Center National Advisory Board Member Matthew Meselson on the use of a banned chemical weapon, click here.
To read a Boston Herald article quoting Matthew Meselson on the use of a banned chemical weapon, click here.
To read a WIRED article quoting Matthew Meselson on the use of a banned chemical weapon, click here.
To read a Digital Journal article quoting Center and Council Executive Director John Tierney on nuclear arms control, click here.
To read a Foxtrot Alpha article quoting Center and Council Policy Analyst Greg Terryn on nuclear arms control, click here.
To read a POLITICO article quoting John Tierney on nuclear arms control, click here.
To read an article in The Hill quoting John Tierney on nuclear arms control, click here.
To read a Big News Network article quoting John Tierney on nuclear arms control, click here.
To read a Western Journalismarticle quoting John Tierney on nuclear arms control, click here.
Center Beat:
Former Defense Secretary William J. Perry Discusses Nuclear Non-proliferation
The Center interviewed former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry on the U.S. nuclear arsenal, cooperation with Russia on nuclear nonproliferation, and the North Korean nuclear threat. In the interview, Mr. Perry talks about his dedication to educating millennials on the risks of nuclear weapons. To read the Center interview, click here.
The Rising Cost of Nuclear Forces
According to a report from the Congressional Budget Office, U.S. nuclear forces will cost $400 billion dollars from 2017 to 2026, a 15% increase over CBO’s previous estimate (for 2015 to 2024). To learn more about the bloated costs of our nuclear modernization plan, read Center Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace fellow Bernadette Stadler’s Nukes of Hazard blog post here.
Mark your Calendar:
Dr. Jim Walsh on Understanding North Korea
On Mar. 20, the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and Dr. Jim Walsh, Center contributor will host a Facebook Live chat to discuss the threat North Korea’s nuclear program poses to the U.S. and its allies and offer options for an effective U.S. response. To receive a Facebook reminder click here here and accept our invite to the virtual event.
Watch:
Council Board Member Jim Walsh was interviewed on MSNBC to discuss North Korea’s missile test and President Trump’s restrained response to it. To watch the video clip, click here.
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