Europeans Ease Pressure on Iran in Bid to Revive Nuclear Talks With U.S.
Laurence Norman and Sune Engel Rasmussen | Wall Street Journal
The U.S. and European powers are giving Iran a last chance to start cooperating with a United Nations atomic agency probe of Tehran’s nuclear activities, backing away from a formal censure of Iran in a bid to revive nuclear diplomacy between Washington and Tehran. Britain, France and Germany decided Thursday not to present a resolution censuring Iran that they had floated to other International Atomic Energy Agency member states earlier in the week. Iran had warned the move could lead it to further curtail international inspections of the country and dissuade it from engaging in direct talks with the U.S. on its nuclear program.
Pentagon Concerned by UN Report Indicating Possible North Korea Nuclear Reprocessing
David Brunnstrom and Idrees Ali | Reuters
The Pentagon expressed concern on Tuesday about a UN report indicating possible reprocessing of nuclear fuel for bombs by North Korea, and said such activity could raise tensions with Pyongyang. Rear Admiral Michael Studeman, head of intelligence for the U.S. Indo-Pacific command, said North Korean activity highlighted this week by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could be intended to get the attention of the Biden administration and as a bargaining chip to press for sanctions relief. The administration is currently reviewing U.S.-North Korea policy. “We have our eye on this. And it is deeply concerning where North Korea wants to go,” Studeman told an virtual event on technology and security.
Dependent Deterrent? U.S. Support for the UK’s New Nuclear Warhead
Matthew Harries | RUSI
Last night, BBC Newsnight reported on a quiet but crucial drama playing out at the heart of UK–U.S. defence relations. The UK has started a programme to build a new nuclear warhead for its submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The warhead depends on a parallel programme to build a new warhead in the U.S., called the W93. The link between the UK and U.S. warhead programmes is already known, and has been the subject of analysis at RUSI and elsewhere, but the BBC report reveals some key new information and makes some startling new claims.
Biden National Security Guidance Calls to Increase Diplomacy, Downplay Nukes, End Afghanistan Conflict
Aaron Mehta | Defense News
In an “interim” security strategy document released Wednesday afternoon, the White House emphasized that the Biden administration views diplomacy as its first tool for national security issues — and democracy as its greatest asset. The report also called for an end to “forever wars,” such as the conflict in Afghanistan; for the Pentagon to divest of legacy military systems in favor of funding for future needs; and stressed the need for cybersecurity improvements across government. In the introduction to the 24-page document, the first wide-ranging, formal guidance on national security issues from the administration, President Joe Biden wrote that American democracy is “our most fundamental advantage” in combating challenges from China and Russia, saying “we are in the midst of an historic and fundamental debate about the future direction of our world.
Analysis: Biden Faces Calls to Jumpstart North Korea Talks With More Pragmatic Goals
Josh Smith | Reuters
With U.S. policy toward North Korea in limbo as the new administration in Washington conducts a months-long policy review, former officials and experts are sparring over whether to shift focus from seeking the North’s full denuclearisation. The administration of President Joe Biden says its review of North Korea policy will be finished in coming months, before announcing its plans for handling a rolling crisis that has bedevilled generations of U.S. presidents. In his first major speech outlining Biden’s top foreign policy priorities, Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday focused on China, only mentioning North Korea as one of several countries that present “serious challenges”.
Military’s Multibillion-Dollar Missile Replacement Program Continues to Progress at Hill AFB
Mitch Shaw | Standard-Examiner
Construction has started on the latest project associated with the military’s multibillion-dollar missile replacement program at Hill Air Force Base. In a news release, Leah Bryant, spokesperson for the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, said work has begun on a 140,000-square-foot building that will be used for the Department of Defense’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program, headquartered at Hill. Bryant said the new building will include space for the testing of both the hardware and software of the weapons systems associated with the replacement program. The facility will also include a large collaboration space, an auditorium and the first covered parking structure at Hill. It will house the center’s GBSD Systems Directorate and more than 700 employees.