IRAN
Iran’s leader backs nuke talks, with conditions
George Jahn and John Heilprin, Associated Press – November 20, 2013
Iran’s supreme leader has once again declared his support for negotiators in an effort to quiet criticism from hard liners in the country’s government. However, he added that Iran is only willing to concede so much in P5+1 talks this week. Khamenei also went on to attack Israel, labeling it as “the rabid dog” of the region; this was met with criticism from the president of France who called the comments unacceptable.

China tells Iran to seize opportunity before nuclear talks
Michael Martin and Isabel Coles, Reuters – November 20, 2013
China’s president, Xi Jinping, has told Iran to “seize the opportunity” to improve relations with the world by coming to Geneva ready to negotiate. President Xi also urged Iran to maintain the dialogue momentum so that a deal can be reached. In return, Iranian President Rouhani asked China to moderate the demands of the western nations in the P5+1 talks.

Obama asks senators to give Iran negotiations a chance
Aamer Madhani, USA Today – November 19, 2013
On Tuesday, President Obama met with leaders of the Senate armed services, banking, foreign relations and intelligence committees to discuss holding off on additional sanctions while negotiations are ongoing. Obama assured committee members that any sanctions relief granted to Iran would be revoked immediately if Iran violated any agreement with the U.S. He also said that any deal would include Iran scaling back elements of their nuclear program to widen the breakout window.

Israel says ‘bad’ Iran deal will bring war
Oren Dorell, USA Today – November 19, 2013
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has, in the past few days, been traveling to meet with leaders from Russia and Germany to seek reassurances that any deal with Iran will meet Israel’s demands. On Tuesday, he advocated for increasing the pressure on Iran if they refuse to meet the demands of abandoning uranium enrichment and construction of the Arak heavy water reactor.

NORTH KOREA
N. Korea capable of producing weapons from uranium: S. Korea
AFP – November 20, 2013
South Korea’s Defense Minister has reported that North Korea is now capable of producing nuclear weapons from enriched uranium as well as its plutonium stockpile. He also said that South Korea is monitoring the progress of the plutonium producing reactor at Yongbyon, and officials believe it is currently being tested. It is estimated that North Korea has enough nuclear material for six to 10 weapons.

SYRIA
Syria’s chemical weapons may be destroyed at sea
Reuters – November 19, 2013
Following Albania’s rejection of a U.S. request to host the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has begun studying other options. One possible option that has been suggested is processing and destroying the chemicals at sea. Countries like Japan have in the past destroyed chemical weapons at sea, but there has never been such a large scale operation conducted on a ship before.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS
White House Warns Senate Off of Warhead-Cost Measure
Elaine Grossman and Douglas Guarino, Global Security Newswire – November 19, 2013
The Obama administration has responded to suggestions that sequestration might force a re-evaluation of nuclear modernization efforts. The White House issued a formal objection to these suggestions saying that studying possible cost saving options would create costly delays for modernization plans.

Problem Seen Impeding Cleanup of Ex-U.S. Nuclear Weapons Site
Global Security Newswire – November 19, 2013
A nuclear and chemical waste facility designed to convert toxic waste into glass is only about two-thirds of the way complete despite being under construction since 2001, and it is $9 billion over budget. The facility was to be used to dispose of 56 million gallons of chemical and radioactive waste from the Hanford Site in Washington which was used to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons.

IRAN
Deal Closer: Iran Concedes on ‘Right’ to Enrich
George Jahn, Associated Press – November 19, 2013
Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has hinted that Iran may be willing to part with its demands that its “right” to enrich uranium be recognized. Zarif said that enrichment remains nonnegotiable but did concede that it is not necessary for this to be seen as a right. This “right” was previously a sticking point between Iran and the U.S. which refused to recognize such a thing.

Kerry presses Iran to prove its nuclear program peaceful
Lesley Wroughton, Reuters – November 18, 2013
Secretary of State John Kerry has commented that he has no expectations going into P5+1 talks this week. He did, however, urge Iran to finalize an agreement that would prove its nuclear program is peaceful. He also added that the U.S. “will negotiate in good faith and we will try to get a first-step agreement.”

Sanctions stay unless Iran renounces nuclear arms: Hollande
AFP – November 18, 2013
French President Francois Hollande has announced that sanctions will remain in place so long as France remains unconvinced that Iran’s nuclear program is not for military purposes. The speech, made in Israel on Monday, comes just days after the new IAEA report showed that progress on Iran’s nuclear program has all but halted.

SYRIA
Belgian Refusal May Force Relook at Syrian Chemical-Destruction Plans
Global Security Newswire – November 18, 2013
Belgium has now added its name to the list of countries that have refused to participate in the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons. Belgian Defense Minister Pieter De Crem joined other European nations in questioning if transporting the stockpile out of the country for destruction is really the best option. Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans argued that it would, perhaps, be easier to move the equipment to the chemical weapons rather than the alternative of moving the weapons to destruction facilities.

BUDGET
Cook: Govt. Shutdown cost NNSA’s defense programs $330M
Frank Munger, Knoxville News Sentinel– November 14, 2013
Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration, Don Cook, has reported that the government shutdown cost the agency $330 million. Cook said that he ordered the Y-12 and Pantex nuclear complexes shutdown earlier than was necessary to ensure the safety and security of the nuclear assets stored at these facilities before funding ran out.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Australia Backs India’s Entry into Nuclear-Export Controls Body
Global Security Newswire – November 19, 2013
Australia has given support to India to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The group, which exists to limit exports of nuclear materials to only those that cannot be repurposed for military uses, has in the past blocked India’s admission because of India’s nuclear program. The U.S., U.K., Russia and France have also given their support to India joining the group.

Hagel Scolds Strategic Command for Recent Behavior Lapses
Global Security Newswire – November 18, 2013
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has demanded that perfection be the standard for Strategic Command and criticized behavior problems from several top officers. These comments come after Major General Michael Carey was fired for embarrassing behavior while consuming alcohol and Navy Vice Admiral Tim Giardina was demoted and transferred for using fake chips to gamble in a casino. Hagel reminded Strategic Command personnel that their chosen profession has no room for error and that the American people trust them with their security.

SYRIA
Chemical arms watchdog adopts Syria stockpile plan
BBC News – November 15, 2013
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has unveiled its plan to destroy Syria’s stockpile of chemical weapons. The most critical chemicals are scheduled to be removed from the country by the end of the year, and the remaining chemicals are to be removed by February 5. The stockpile will be moved outside of Syrian territory to ensure destruction in the “safest and soonest manner.”

West Faces Challenges in Moving Syrian Chemical Arms Through Battlefields
David Sanger, New York Times – November 17, 2013
The OPCW plan for destroying Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile is causing some concern among officials in Washington. In order to remove the weapons from Syrian territory, the precursor agents will have to be transported over roads that are still active battlegrounds. Security is expected to be provided by the Syrian military; however, doubts still exist about the security of the transportation operation.

Albania Rejects Request to Host Syrian Chemical-Arms Destruction
Global Security Newswire– November 15, 2013
Albania has rejected a request from the U.S. to host the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile. The refusal to aid in the destruction of precursor chemicals came following protests in Tirana, the capital of Albania. The Albanian Prime Minister claimed that his country did not have the capacity to get involved in the destruction process despite the fact that Albania recently completed the destruction of its own chemical weapons. The OPCW has not yet determined a capable host country to destroy Syria’s weapons.

IRAN
Iran says next nuclear talks will be ‘difficult’
AFP – November 17, 2013
Negotiator Abbas Araqchi has said that the next round of nuclear talks will be difficult following the failed negotiations on November 7 and 8. Much of this difficulty stems from France which has announced its intent to support Israel by demanding four concessions from Iran. These concessions are: placing all nuclear installations under international supervision, suspending 20% enrichment of uranium, reducing the existing uranium stockpile, and halting construction on the Arak heavy water reactor.

Putin: a “Real Chance” to Make a Deal With Iran
Associated Press – November 18, 2013
In contrast to Araqchi, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin expressed optimism that there is a “real chance” that a deal may be reached when P5+1 talks resume. Putin made the statement in a phone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday. Further P5+1 talks will take place this week.

Obama Gets Feinstein Support to Avoid New Iran Sanctions
Terry Atlas & Indira Lakshmanan, Bloomberg – November 15, 2013
President Obama has found an ally in the Senate in an attempt to avoid additional sanctions against Iran while negotiations are still ongoing. Senator Dianne Feinstein issued a statement on Friday questioning the decision of some of her colleagues to try to implement additional sanctions. She argued that additional sanctions “would not lead to a better deal” and added that they “would lead to no deal at all.”

BUDGET CUTS
Making the Cut: Reducing the SSBN Force
Hans Kristensen, FAS Strategic Security Blog – November 18, 2013
The new Congressional Budget Office report details several cost saving measures that could be implemented by the Navy to save around $40 billion over the next two decades. In short, reducing the number of active Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines from 14 to 8 by 2020 would save $11 billion, and reducing the planned Ohio replacement fleet by four submarines would save an additional $30 billion.

NUCLEAR MATERIALS
High-activity radioactive materials removed from Mexico, NNSA says
Oak Ridge Today– November 16, 2013
Medical equipment containing highly radioactive cobalt-60 was removed from an oncology clinic in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico as part of a joint removal mission by NNSA’s Global Threat Reduction Initiative and the Mexican National Commission for Nuclear Security and Safeguards. The material was securely transported by truck to the U.S. where it is being processed and prepared for final disposal. This was part of a larger mission to secure materials that can be used to make improvised nuclear devices by terrorist/criminal organizations.

IRAN
U.N. Says Iran Has Virtually Frozen Nuclear Program in Last Few Months
Jay Solomon and Carol E. Lee, The Wall Street Journal – November 14, 2013
The United Nation’s reports that Iran has virtually halted expansion of its controversial nuclear program since Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was elected to office in early August. The findings could aid diplomacy between Tehran and global powers next week.

David Vitter amendment could delay Iran sanctions
Burgess Everett, Politico – November 14, 2013
Senator David Vitter (R-LA) has proposed an affordable care act amendment that could delay the issuance of a new round of sanctions against Iran. The sanctions legislation has been attached as an amendment to the FY 2014 defense authorization bill, which may only be voted on in December if Senator Vitter’s proposed amendment is to be voted on first.

Israel must not gamble with its security, warns minister
AFP – November 15, 2013
Israeli Economy Minister Naftali Bennett, currently visiting the US, has argued that the P5+1 (Russia, China, France, the UK, the US and Germany) negotiations should aim at dismantling the Iranian nuclear program rather than attempt to negotiate a temporary pause in their nuclear activities.

Hagel Defends Kerry’s Engagement with Iran
Stephanie Gaskell, Defense One – November 14, 2013
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has said that he supports Secretary of State John Kerry’s diplomatic efforts to open up a dialogue with Iran. Speaking at a Defense One Summit in Washington, he said “Engagement is not surrender, it’s not appeasement, engagement is not negotiation.”

RUSSIA
Last Shipment of Nuclear Fuel From Russian Bombs Heads to U.S.
Andrew E. Kramer, The New York Times – November 14, 2013
A US-Russian program known as “Megatons for Megawatts” came to an end on Thursday. Under the program, nuclear material was converted from old Soviet nuclear warheads before being shipped to the US to be used in civilian nuclear reactors. Over the 20 year lifespan of the agreement, 10 percent of all electricity generated in the US was supplied by the fuel from this program.

NORTH KOREA
US Envoy to Visit China for Talks on NKorea
Associated Press – November 14, 2013
US special representative for North Korea policy Glyn Davis will visit China, South Korea and Japan next week for discussions regarding North Korea’s controversial nuclear weapons program. The US hopes that the trip will progress current efforts to develop a common position among countries in the region on how to persuade North Korea to disarm its nuclear capabilities.

CHEMICAL WEAPONS
Albania Rejects Request to Host Destruction of Syrian Chemical Weapons
Alan Cowell, The New York Times – November 15, 2013
Albania has turned down a US request to host facilities for the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile. The news is a setback for Washington, which is trying to find a country willing to take on the task. Addressing the nation on Friday, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said “We lack the necessary capacities to get involved in this operation.”

BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
Pentagon seeking vaccine for bioterror disease threat
Military Times – November 15, 2013
After many years, the Pentagon is still trying to develop a vaccine for Coxiella Burnetti, a “weaponizable” virus that causes the highly infection disease known as Q fever. Pentagon medical reports show that a number of US soldiers returned home from tours in Iraq infected with the disease.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Lawmaker Sees Fresh Push Toward Nuclear-Weapon Spending Cuts
Douglas P. Guarino, Global Security Newswire — November 13, 2013
Representative Mike Quigley (D-III.) is optimistic about the prospect of budget cuts to the controversial B-61 life extension program. The B-61 is an aging tactical nuclear weapon that the Obama administration is planning to modernize to the cost of $551 million.

Air Force to ‘add more rigor’ to screening of candidates for nuclear commander jobs
Associated Press — November 13, 2013
The Air Force will make the screening process of candidates for senior nuclear command positions more vigorous. Candidates must expect closer inspections into their health records and personal backgrounds. The announcement comes after the the head of the Air Force’s nuclear missiles division was fired for behavior linked to alcohol abuse.

IRAN
Russian FM: Iran Backed US Nuclear Proposal
Associated Press — November 14, 2013
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has claimed that Iran accepted a US-draft proposal on a nuclear deal during the P5+1 talks held over the weekend. In the end, the draft was not accepted due to 11th hour amendments that Iran could not accept.

U.S. Rejects Israeli Assessment on Iran
Jay Solomon, The Wall Street Journal — November 13, 2013
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz has claimed that US sanctions relief plans for Iran would ease the impact of the current sanctions regime by 40%. The State department sharply criticized this assessment yesterday and denied that their plan would have this impact.

U.S. lawmakers question Obama’s plea for Iran sanctions pause
Patricia Zengerle and Timothy Gardner, Reuters — November 13, 2013
Members of Congress have expressed their frustration with the Obama administration’s call to delay a new round of sanctions against Iran. Senior administration officials made a lobbying round in the Senate on Wednesday in an attempt to convince key senators to stave off passing new legislation that would strengthen the existing array of Iranian sanctions.

RUSSIA
U.S. Official: ‘Not Making Much Progress’ with Russia on Missiles, Arms
Rachel Oswald, Global Security Newswire — November 13, 2013
Assistant secretary of Defense for global strategic affairs Madelyn Creedon has said that Russia has is “not making much progress” in both arms control- and missile defense talks. She stated that “it’s important to have Russia’s support on both topics” and that the US will continue its efforts to engage Moscow in both areas.

NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION
How to Sell Arms and Influence People
Rose Gottemoeller and James N. Miller, Bloomberg — November 13, 2013
In 2009, President Obama announced the ‘Export Control Reform Initiative’. This initiative aims to advance US national security by reforming and updating the US’s cold war export-control system. When the reforms are complete, the system will better fulfill its role within a modern, globalized supply chain.

CHEMICAL WEAPONS
Czech Republic to sponsor disposal of Syrian chemical weapons
Prague Daily Monitor — November 14, 2013
The Czech Republic will help finance the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile. The money, some $130,000, will be sent directly to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which has been tasked by the UN to carry out the destruction of the Syrian stockpile.