By Isabel Martinez and Anna Schumann The Biden administration has made history with many of its nominations and appointments, from the first female U.S. intelligence leader to the first Black Secretary of Defense, and many other positions that will be key to U.S. and global security and peace measures. Now, the country’s top day-to-day nuclear […]
Breaking down Iran’s nuclear diplomacy strategy
By Samuel M. Hickey Senior Iranian leaders from President Hassan Rouhani to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have been clear that they would welcome a quick return to the Iran nuclear deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), by the Biden administration. However, Tehran appears to be signaling that there is […]
Missile Defense Costs Soar Out of This World
By John Isaacs and Samuel M. Hickey Pentagon missile defense costs could soar to a massive $176 billion between 2020 and 2029, a 40% increase, according to a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report. Since programs were first launched in the 1950s to build systems capable of intercepting incoming long-distance nuclear or conventional weapons, the United States has spent more than $400 billion* on various missile […]
Footballs, Biscuits, and America’s Nuclear Monarchy
Inauguration Day means it’s almost time for the nuclear football to shift from one president to another. But how does that work, exactly? And in a country built on a system of checks and balances, why does the President of the United States have complete and total control over the U.S. nuclear arsenal? How did […]
Brief Summary of Fiscal Year 2021 Defense and Energy and Water Appropriations Bills
By John Isaacs and Monica Montgomery In an end-of-the-year burst of energy after months of bitter disagreements and procrastination, Congress finally approved the fiscal year 2021 omnibus appropriations bill on December 21. The bill, totaling $1.4 trillion across 12 individual appropriations bills, was packaged with a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill and other various measures, totaling 5,593 pages. In a late-night session, the House took two separate votes on the measure, passing four appropriations bills, including the Department of Defense bill, 327-85 and […]
