Iran “Responsible” for Tanker Attacks in Gulf of Oman, Pompeo Says
CBS News
Two tankers were attacked Thursday near the strategic Strait of Hormuz -- the second time in a month that tankers have been seriously damaged in the region and again the U.S. has pointed the finger of blame at Iran.Speaking Thursday afternoon in Washington, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it was, "the assessment of the United States government that the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the attacks that occurred in the gulf of Oman today. This assessment is based on intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to execute the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication."
Iran Supreme Leader Says He Has No Intention to Make or Use Nuclear Weapons
Reuters
Iran has no intention of making or using nuclear weapons, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying on Thursday by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Khamenei’s comment, a reiteration of Iran’s stance, comes at a time of increased U.S.-Iranian tension, a year after Washington abandoned an agreement between Iran and world powers to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international financial sanctions. “Supreme Leader Khamenei made a comment that the country will not and should not make, hold or use nuclear weapons, and that it has no such intentions,” Abe told reporters in Tehran following a meeting with Khamenei.
Low-Yield Nukes Lose Partisan Fight in HASC NDAA Markup
Joe Gould | Defense News
The House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday rejected a series of Republican amendments aimed at preserving funds for the nuclear arsenal, including one to protect deployment of low-yield nuclear weapons on submarines. During its markup of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, the panel sharply debated and then voted, largely along party lines, to reject the amendments. Democrats hold a 31-26 majority on the panel. Still, the language is likely to be a sticking point if it survives into negotiations with the GOP-controlled Senate Armed Services Committee. Republicans argued that the bill’s language barring the deployment of the W76-2 submarine launched low-yield nuclear missile equates to unilateral disarmament, wastes sunk costs to develop the and robs the U.S. of a proportional response to a notional Russian attack using a tactical nuclear weapon. The weapons were ordered by the Trump administration’s Nuclear Posture Review.
India to Launch a Defense-Based Space Research Agency
Vivek Raghuvanshi | Defense News
In a move to bolster India’s space warfare capabilities, the ruling National Democratic Alliance government has approved the creation of the Defence Space Research Organisation. DSRO will provide technical and research support to its parent organization, the Defence Space Agency. Last week, India’s Cabinet Committee on Security, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the creation of DSRO to also develop space warfare systems and associated technology, according to a Ministry of Defence official. DSRO will be headed by a senior defense scientist who will lead a team of other scientists. The agency is expected to be operational by the end of this year.
Russia Keeps Asking U.S. to Agree to No Nuclear Weapons Use, But It’s Not Getting Any Answer
Tom O’Connor | Newsweek
Moscow's top diplomat has again petitioned Washington to join an agreement to mutually forego the use of nuclear weapons, an effort that has so far produced no response. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the latest call Tuesday at the international Primakov Readings summit in Moscow, urging that Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump come together to reassure the international community that nuclear warfare was not an option as historic non-proliferation measures between them fell victim to geopolitical tensions. Should such weapons of mass destruction ever be used, Lavrov warned everyone would lose. “In political terms, of course, it is of fundamental importance that Russia and the United States calm the rest of the world and adopt a joint declaration at the highest level that a nuclear war cannot be won, and therefore it is unacceptable and inadmissible,” Lavrov said. He said the U.S. and the Soviet Union had previously come to such a conclusion and he could “not understand why this position cannot be reaffirmed under the current conditions,” noting that the current proposal was so far only “being considered by the American side.”
Non-Nuclear States Discuss Weapons Proliferation in Sweden
Deutsche Welle
Foreign ministers from 16 non-nuclear countries gathered in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday to discuss the state of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), urging nuclear powers “to shoulder their responsibilities for disarmament.” As German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas added, “at the same time we need to prevent further countries from obtaining nuclear weapons.” Maas called the spread of nuclear weapons: “a danger to world peace. We must counteract this negative development.” Maas also said Germany was willing to hold a follow-up meeting in Berlin next year.