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Response Published in The Washington Post
Sep 13, 2011
The following letter to the editor was published today in response to "The Undimmed Danger of Iran's Nuclear Program":
We can agree that a more coherent strategy is needed in the U.S. approach to Iran’s nuclear advances, as was pointed out in the editorial on the Iranian threat. It is important to recognize, however, that time still exists to pursue a negotiated solution.
Although Iran is currently enriching uranium with advanced machines, the work is far behind schedule. Contrary to Iran’s original forecast, it has not yet installed any advanced centrifuges at its intended facility, and a large part of the reason for this delay are the sanctions that The Post’s editorial implied have failed.
While sanctions may buy time, they cannot solve the problem. The United States should continue its efforts to slow Iran’s program and maintain international pressure on Iran, while keeping the possibility open for a negotiated solution that establishes the inspections and transparency necessary to best detect and deter any eventual move to build a weapon.
Laicie Olson, Washington
The writer is a senior policy analyst at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
Defense Appropriations Bill approved by House Appropriations Committee
Jun 15, 2011
Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Defense Appropriations Bill. The bill contains $530 billion in funding for non-war programs and accounts, an increase of $17 billion over FY 2011 and a decrease of approximately $9 billion from the President’s request.
In addition to $530 billion in base spending, the bill contains $118.7 billion in spending for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, $842 million above the President’s request and $39 billion less than FY 2011, a decrease due to the drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq. This total includes $12.8 billion for the training and equipping of Afghan Security forces, and $1.1 billion for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund (PCCF), which has moved from the subcommittee on State/Foreign Operations to the subcommittee on defense.
The total in the bill is $648.7 billion. Other portions of defense spending are contained in the Military Construction and Energy and Water Appropriations Bills.
The bill is expected to be considered by the full House of Representatives the week of June 20. It is expected that germane amendments will be permitted.
House Acts on U.S. Military Engagement Abroad – A Bit Less Cautiously
Jun 07, 2011
By Executive Director John Isaacs
Color me surprised.
I recently wrote about votes in the House of Representatives signaling rising discontent with the use of military force abroad – but also pointed out that Members of Congress are not ready to take back the right to declare war.
The House came close to a majority vote against the Afghanistan War for the first time when it narrowly rejected (by a vote of 204 – 215) an amendment by Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Walter Jones (R-NC). While the bill called for a withdrawal plan, it did not call for cutting off funding for the war.
At the time, I expressed skepticism that a resolution offered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) to force the removal of U.S. armed forces from Libya would to get into the triple digits of support.
Wrong! Kucinich received 148 votes, including an incredibly high number of 87 Republicans. It used to be Kucinich was toxic to Republicans – and to many Democrats. No longer.
In fact, a vote on the Kucinich resolution was delayed in the House so that Speaker John Boehner could put forward an alternative resolution to draw Republican votes from Kucinich.
The Boehner resolution rebuked the President for his Libya policy, but did not require a troop withdrawal. His resolution was adopted by a stunning 268-145.
Cynics in Washington, D.C. – is there anyone but cynics here – naturally assume that many Republicans are willing to repudiate a Democratic President but would have slavishly followed a Republican.
House Armed Services Mark of the Defense Authorization
May 20, 2011
In case you're not keeping up with every little step in the budget process, we've got you covered. New up on our sister site today is a summary of the most important and/or controversial provisions and amendments contained within the House Armed Services Committee's mark of the Defense Authorization bill last week. If you'd also like to read the full text of the bill and report you can do so here.
By a vote of 60 to 1, the House Armed Services Committee approved $553 billion for the Pentagon’s base budget, a 4.1% increase over appropriations for FY 2011, along with an additional $118 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, matching the administration’s request on both counts.
The full House is expected to consider the bill the week of May 23. Many of the provisions listed below may be challenged on the House floor.
(More below the jump)
We're Hiring!
Oct 27, 2010
The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and Council for a Livable World are dedicated to enhancing international peace and security and protecting the American people from the threat of weapons of mass destruction. They seek to accomplish this mission by reducing and eventually eliminating nuclear weapons as a tool of U.S. national security policy, halting the spread of all weapons of mass destruction, ending deployment of national missile defense and redirecting Pentagon spending to better address the actual threats facing the United States.
The Council and Center are currently hiring a Contributions Coordinator / Officer Manager. The duties of this position are:
Contributions Coordinator: The Contributions Coordinator is responsible for tracking a depositing all gifts to the Council and Center. He/she will keep contributor data current and manage relations with donors. The Contributions Coordinator is also primarily responsible for managing 2 fundraising events a year – one in Boston and one in Washington, DC.
2 Dead Heats in Washington State
Oct 15, 2010
With just a few weeks left in the campaign, recent polling shows two Council backed candidates in Washington State in races that are too close to call. Both these candidates are strong supporters of progressive foreign policies and the vision of a nuclear weapons free world. These races will be decided in the final days, and your contributions can make a huge difference.
Council for a Livable World Endorses the Afghanistan Study Group Report
Sep 21, 2010
On September 15, the board of the Council for a Livable World and the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation endorsed the August 16th report from the Afghanistan Study Group. The report, entitled: A New Way Forward—Rethinking the U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan (available at www.afghanistanstudygroup.org), argues that the current U.S. strategy in Afghanistan is not vitally essential to U.S. national security, ensnares U.S. forces in a civil war, has costs of over $100 billion a year to counter an al-Qaeda presence in Afghanistan of less than 100 members and is counter-productive to regional stability.
The report calls for a recalibration of U.S. strategy by focusing on the following five recommendations:
1. Emphasize power sharing and inclusion: The report calls for a “fast track” peace process built on decentralized governance and power sharing among key groups.
- Downsize and eventually end military operations in Southern Afghanistan, and reduce the U.S. military footprint: The report argues that the U.S. presence radicalizes many Afghans and suggests a diminished troop presence there could yield significant security benefits.
- Focus security efforts on Al Qaeda and domestic security: The report calls for increased capability to target Al Qaeda operatives and other terrorist organizations.
- Encourage economic development: The report promotes economic development as a safeguard against increased international terrorism and drug trafficking, arguing that failed states are incubators for terrorism.
- Encourage regional stakeholders: The report calls for a multi-state diplomatic effort to promote Afghan neutrality and regional stability.
New Working Group on Iran Sanctions
Aug 04, 2010
Yesterday, Howard Berman and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of the House Foreign Affairs Committee released the following statement announcing the initiation of a bipartisan Working Group on Iran Sanction Implementation:
Today we are initiating a working group that will help ensure that U.S. and international sanctions on Iran are fully implemented, effectively enforced and, ultimately, have the intended effect of bringing about Iran’s termination of all activities contributing to its pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.
The Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act of 2010, which was signed into law by President Obama on July 1, has already had a significant impact on Iran's access to international markets and its ability to acquire refined petroleum.
We will continue to pressure and isolate Iran until it terminates its illicit nuclear weapons activities. A nuclear-armed Iran is unacceptable.
“The group will meet on a regular basis with Administration officials, foreign ambassadors, and outside experts to oversee and verify enforcement of Iran sanctions implementation” ---- which is pretty ambiguous, but there’s nothing like leaving for recess on a strong note, right?
House Moves On War Supplemental
Jul 02, 2010
After weeks of intense debate, the House passed an approximately $80 billion emergency supplemental appropriations bill last night that will lend an additional $33 billion to the wars in Afghanistan in Iraq.
In the end, the vote to advance the nearly $60 billion Senate-passed measure came under a vote on the rule, an obscure process used to allow the House to vote to set the terms for debate on the bill, but not on the underlying bill. Inside the rule, the bill was deemed passed after the rule passed. The vote was close, but eeked by at 215-210. The budget resolution (that isn't really a budget resolution) was included within the self-executing rule.
The House then took up five separate amendments that include a $1 billion youth summer jobs program, $10 billion for an Education Jobs Fund and $180 million in loan guarantees split evenly between nuclear and renewable energy programs.
For further analysis, see our sister site Nukes of Hazard.
So it goes...
Jul 01, 2010
At 6:15 this evening, in the East Room of the White House, President Obama will sign into law “the toughest ever unilateral US sanctions against the Islamic republic” that nobody believes will work.
The Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act was passed last week by overwhelming margins in both the House and Senate: 408-8 and 99-0, respectively.
Despite Congress’ denial of exemptions for cooperating countries sought by the administration, reactions from the White House have been mostly positive. In a statement released Friday, Secretary Clinton welcomed the passage of the legislation, saying that both she and President Obama support the “broad aims” of the Congressional action.
While the final measure does contain significant human rights and development initiatives that should not be discounted, they do little to offset the fact that the people of Iran, not the regime, are most sensitive to broad sanctions such as those passed by Congress.
Update 6/2/10: Remarks by the President at the signing can be found here.