Disarmament Hub Blog

Influential Republican Senators John McCain (AZ) and Richard Lugar (IN) (pictured above with a Soviet Era Typhoon Nuclear Submarine in Russia) have hinted at supporting the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Both senators voted against the treaty in 1999, which failed along partisan lines. To get the needed 67 Senate votes for ratification, Obama will have to rely upon Lugar and McCain to drum up the support of fellow Republicans, no small task.

Check out the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ article about the strategy involved in passing the CTBT as well as these 3 reasons why the Senate should ratify the CTBT. 

Also, WFUNA's Students for a Nuclear Weapons Free World Campaign Contest is wrapping up. Submissions will only be accepted through July so make sure to check out the disarmament hub website for more details. Remember, the contest is for a planned campaign against nuclear weapons, you do not have to have implemented the campaign yet. 

Last Thursday the commander of the U.S. Northern Command, Victor E. "Gene" Renuart, was quoted in the Washington Times stating that he had “high confidence” that US anti-ballistic missile defenses could “interdict [a North Korean ICBM] before it caused huge damage to any U.S. territory”.  

While it remains vague what “huge damage” to US territory would constitute, I find myself focusing more on the high level of confidence in US ABM capability.  Renuart mentioned that he would rely on Aegis (pictured above), Theater High-Altitude Area Defenses (THAAD) and Patriot missiles. The Aegis test record is by no means spotless, and I would be interested in seeing similar comprehensive records of the THAAD and Patriot defenses. Does anyone out there know a good place to get more info on these? 

Also, make sure to visit the disarmament hub website and participate in our Students for a Nuclear Weapons Free World Campaign Contest!