FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 27, 2005
CONTACT: Jeff Marn, 202/939-2242, jmarn@CarnegieEndowment.org
America must end its reliance on nuclear weapons, says former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara in the May/June issue of Foreign Policy. Anything less raises the risk of nuclear catastrophe.
“I would characterize U.S. nuclear weapons policy as immoral, illegal, militarily unnecessary, and dreadfully dangerous,” he says in the FP exclusive “Apocalypse Soon.” “Far from reducing these risks, the Bush administration has signaled that it is committed to keeping the U.S. nuclear arsenal as a mainstay of its military power.”
Beginning May 2, diplomats from more than 180 countries will meet in New York City to review the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and assess whether all members are living up to the agreement. Many will be watching the United States closely, McNamara says.
“The Bush administration’s nuclear program, alongside its refusal to ratify the [Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty] will be viewed, with reason, by many nations as equivalent to a U.S. break with the [nonproliferation] treaty,” says McNamara.
Substantial proliferation would most certainly follow in the coming years. Nations such as Japan, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Syria would very likely initiate their own nuclear programs, increasing both the chances of their use and their diversion to terrorists.
The only way to reduce the risk is for the United State to eliminate most, if not all of its nuclear arsenal, says McNamara, beginning with the 2,000 warheads that remain on “hair-trigger” alert, ready to be launched with 15 minutes warning.
“Keeping such large numbers of weapons, and maintaining them on hair-trigger alert, are potent signs that the United States is not seriously working toward the elimination of its arsenal and raises troubling questions as to why any other state should restrain its nuclear ambitions.”
Also in the latest issue of Foreign Policy:
The 2005 A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy Globalization Index
The fifth annual Globalization Index has a new champion—and many countries jockeying for position. Find out who’s up, who’s down, and how globalization survived the political wars over Iraq, an economic downturn, and the collapse of international trade talks. Then take a look at the stories behind the numbers, including Russia’s free fall, Canada’s surprising growth industry, and why Iran always seems to find itself at the bottom. (p.52)
The Great Stem Cell Race
Scientists around the world are scrambling to unlock the potential of stem cells. The United States may be leading the pack, but it owes its position more to the weakness of its competitors than to the wisdom of its approach. Europe is limping under tough restrictions and sluggish private investment. Meanwhile, Asia is coming on strong, but it must develop the expertise to match its enthusiasm. What governments do in the next few years may determine who wins on of the greatest scientific races ever run. By Robert L. Paarlberg (p. 44)
Think Again: Iran
Tehran’s desire for a nuclear bomb has put it in Washington’s cross hairs. But neither U.S. President George W. Bush’s repeated condemnation of Iran’s clerical rulers nor the threat of military force will do much to help the cause of democracy. When Iran reforms, it will happen because its youth—not the United States—demands it.
By Christopher de Bellaigue (p. 18)
The Ethics of Exit
Bombs are still exploding, but Iraqis have voted and a new government is on its feet. Is it time for the Americans and their allies to leave? What does the United States owe the country that it invaded more than two years ago? FP asked several experts to weigh in on what it will take for the United States to bid Iraq a proper farewell.
Essays By Jean Bethke Elshtain, Sohail H. Hashmi, Kenneth R. Himes, Lawrence F. Kaplan, and George A. Lopez (p. 62)
A View to a Kill
Unlike capital punishment in the United States, Japan’s death penalty is on the rise. Yet Japanese officials keep state executions out of public view and shrouded in secrecy. Not even the condemned prisoners know the day they will die. Step inside the gallows for a rare look at how Japan takes a life. By Charles Lane (p. 36)
The FP Memo: How to Fix Europe’s Image Problem
Europe likes to blame the United States, but it can act as unreasonably as the worst neocon. To fix trans-Atlantic ties, Brussels should get off its high horse and show the Americans why there is no better ally than Europe. By Andrew Moravcsik and Kalypso Nicolaidis (p. 72)
About Foreign Policy
Founded in 1970, Foreign Policy is the premier, award-winning magazine of global politics, economics, and ideas. The 2005 nominee and 2003 winner of a National Magazine Award for General Excellence, our readers include some of the most influential leaders in business, government, and other professional arenas in the United States and more than 160 other countries. In addition to our flagship English-language edition and award-winning Web site, www.ForeignPolicy.com, FP is published in Arabic, French, Italian, Spanish, and Turkish editions and is published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (www.CarnegieEndowment.org) in Washington, D.C. For syndication permission, contact Ayari De la Rosa at (202) 939-2241 or adelarosa@CarnegieEndowment.org.
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