By John Erath I spent last week in Korea, courtesy of the 38 North Program of the Stimson Center, in association with the Korea Institute of Nuclear Nonproliferation and Control. I was asked to participate in a workshop and discuss the prospects for U.S. policy following the 2024 Presidential election. The workshop went well, but more […]
Op-ed: North Korean Troops in Russia: What Are They Doing There?
Senior Policy Director John Erath wrote an op-ed in 38 North about North Korean troops in Russia. On October 17, South Korean intelligence disclosed that several thousand North Korean troops had apparently begun training in Russia, presumably for deployment to Ukraine. This was later confirmed by other reporting, including the US Department of Defense. There are several reasons why such an […]
Op-ed: Why Congress Shouldn’t Fund a New Sea-Launched Nuke
Senior Policy Director John Erath wrote an op-ed in Just Security about the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N) and why it is not worth its cost. Reviving the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile not only goes against sound military doctrine, it also undermines the basic national interests the United States Navy has always protected. So why do […]
Playing With Fire Is Dangerous
By John Erath On August 11, news broke out of a fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine. Both the Russian and Ukrainian governments immediately blamed each other, but, as with previous incidents, it seems absurd that Ukraine would risk a nuclear incident on its own territory, whereas Russia celebrates its history […]
There won’t be a debate on nuclear issues this election cycle. But if there were…
By John Erath Thus far, nuclear weapons have not figured prominently into the issues playing a role in the 2024 U.S. Presidential election. They should. Whether involving Russian nuclear blackmail, China increasing its arsenal or questions about the future of the U.S. deterrent, how the President addresses nuclear issues between 2025 and 2029 will have […]
