Separation of Religion and the Bomb
Ariel E. Levite | Haaretz
Dima Adamsky’s impressive book “Russian Nuclear Orthodoxy: Religion, Politics, and Strategy,” a Hebrew translation of which was recently published (Maarachot, 2021), documents the symbiotic links that have developed between the Russian nuclear establishment (both civilian and military) and the Russian Orthodox Church since the disintegration of the Soviet Union. These ties have grown so strong that the church today is enmeshed in Russia’s nuclear industry, from army units in the field to the senior command; in scientific, industrial and operational activities and from the spiritual and ceremonial plane to day-to-day operations. Beyond its academic and historical contribution, the book raises two intriguing questions for the Israeli reader: Can we see similar developments in the influence of Shi’ite Islam and its institutions in Iran on the country’s nuclear project, now or in the future? Should, and will, religion become more closely engaged with the nuclear establishment in Israel?
Iran Nuclear Deal Draft Puts Prisoners, Enrichment, Cash First, Oil Comes Later – Diplomats
Francois Murphy, Parisa Hafezi, and John Irish | Reuters
A U.S.-Iranian deal taking shape to revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers lays out phases of mutual steps to bring both sides back into full compliance, and the first does not include waivers on oil sanctions, diplomats say. Envoys from Iran, Russia, China, Britain, France, Germany, the European Union and United States are still negotiating details of the draft accord amid Western warnings that time is running out before the original deal becomes obsolete. Delegates say much of the text is settled but some thorny issues remain.
On the Edge of a Polish Forest, Where Some of Putin’s Darkest Fears Lurk
Andrew Higgins | New York Times
On Wednesday, Russia announced further troop withdrawals and Ukraine signaled a willingness to forgo its ambitions to join NATO, a critical issue in the current conflict with Moscow. But tensions ratcheted up later in the day when a U.S. official said that Russian claims about a reduced troop presence were “false” and that there was fresh evidence Moscow was “mobilizing for war.” As he threatens Ukraine, Mr. Putin has demanded that NATO reduce its military footprint in Eastern and Central Europe — which Washington and European leaders have flatly refused to do. Mr. Putin has been fuming about American missiles near Russia’s border since the Romanian site went into operation in 2016, but the Polish facility, located near the village of Redzikowo, is only about 100 miles from Russian territory and barely 800 miles from Moscow itself.
China Now Understands What a Nuclear Rivalry Looks Like
Michael Schuman | The Atlantic
The prospect of nuclear war doesn’t get much attention these days outside of think tanks, intelligence agencies, and generals’ quarters. The world’s Cold War nuclear nightmare faded with the collapse of the Soviet Union three decades ago. The notion that anyone might use them in a contest of mutual destruction seems like a relic of the Cuban missile crisis—a dark memory from a bygone era. But the danger remains, not only because of the current confrontation with Russia over Ukraine’s fate. China, an old but relatively minor player in the nuclear game, appears to be significantly increasing the size of its arsenal.
Only Small Inventories of Hypersonic Missiles in USAF’s Future, Due to Cost
John A. Tirpak | Air Force Magazine
The high cost of hypersonic missiles will likely drive the Air Force to build only small inventories of them, relying more heavily on other types of munitions such as lower-speed cruise missiles, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said Feb. 15. “Hypersonics are not going to be cheap anytime soon,” Kendall said on a streaming broadcast with the Air Force Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “So I think we’re more likely to have relatively small inventories of [hypersonic missiles] than large ones, but that still remains to be seen, and hopefully, we can drive down the cost to where they’re more attractive.”
North Korea’s Hypersonic Missile Claims Are Credible, Exclusive Analysis Shows
Ralph Savelsberg and Tomohiko Kawaguchi | Breaking Defense
As the US works to develop a hypersonic arsenal, North Korea has now claimed three different launches as successful hypersonic weapons tests. Few take Pyongyang at its word, but a new analysis by experts Ralph Savelsberg and Tomohiko Kawaguchi has concluded that the DPRK likely has developed a hypersonic weapon. In this exclusive analysis for Breaking Defense, the pair explain their work — and their troubling conclusions.