Why the World is Failing to Secure Fissile Materials

Image: Explosion from nuclear weapon test taken from Wikimedia Commons By Maciej Lempke, Columnist Many countries around the world continue to produce fissile materials. As of January 2013, the global stockpile of plutonium is about 490 tons, 260 tons of which are in civilian custody.[i] The global stockpile of highly enriched uranium (HEU), as of December … Continue reading Why the World is Failing to Secure Fissile Materials

Is the use of nuclear weapons legal?

Seal of The International Court of Justice, Wikimedia Commons By Maciej Lempke, Columnist The use of nuclear weapons provokes vital moral questions. However, it is also important to ask whether the use of these weapons could ever be legally justified. Unfortunately, in the current state of the international law, there is no framework explicitly prohibiting … Continue reading Is the use of nuclear weapons legal?

Nuclear Terrorism: How to Respond?

Wikimedia Commons By Maciej Lempke, Columnist The threat of nuclear terrorism should not be underestimated. The main reason for concern is not only the possibility of a terrorist group acquiring a nuclear device, but also the inability of responding to such an attack. This issue should be addressed by policymakers who ought to be ready … Continue reading Nuclear Terrorism: How to Respond?

The Humanitarian Approach: A New Perceptual Paradigm for Nuclear Disarmament

Polaris Nuclear Missile, Wikimedia Commons By Maciej Lempke, Columnist The sheer destructive power of nuclear weapons and unimaginable consequences of their potential use continue to challenge the way we think about them. Contemporary academic and political debates on nuclear disarmament largely focus on arms reduction agreements, support of the non-proliferation regime, and– most importantly– the … Continue reading The Humanitarian Approach: A New Perceptual Paradigm for Nuclear Disarmament

Deteriorating Nuclear Disincentives in the Middle East

President Obama Meets with former Turkish Prime Minister and current President Tayyip Erdogan at the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, Wikimedia Commons By Evan Thompson, Columnist Since the public disclosure of Iran’s nuclear program and the prospects of its weaponization, experts have worried about a spiral of nuclear proliferation in the already unstable Middle East. Three … Continue reading Deteriorating Nuclear Disincentives in the Middle East

The Looming Threat in South Asia: Nuclear Postures of India and Pakistan

Wikimedia Commons By Maciej Lempke, Columnist When assessing nuclear weapon risks, the international community is currently preoccupied with Iranian development – this week’s negotiations in Oman are the latest effort to quell their ambitions – and North Korean provocation.[1] Although Tehran and Pyongyang are indeed a cause for concern, it is the current nuclear postures … Continue reading The Looming Threat in South Asia: Nuclear Postures of India and Pakistan