An update on arms control, national security & politics from Council for a Livable World and the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.
WHAT’S NEWS:
Tell Congress, Skip Bibi’s Speech:
We were stunned by the blatantly partisan attempt by House Speaker Boehner to undermine the president’s foreign policy on Iran by inviting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to address Congress in March. If you want members of Congress to think again about attending the speech and putting diplomacy at risk, please add your name to our petition.
Ignorance: the Greatest Obstacle
Former Representative Jim Slattery (D-Kan.) just came back from Tehran had this to say about Bibi’s speech, “If I had to decide today I would not attend the speech because I believe that his coming here at this time is showing disrespect to the office of the president.” This was in response to a question by our Executive Director Angela Canterbury at an Atlantic Council event this week where Slattery shared his take on the current negotiations. His emphasis on breaking down the barrier of ignorance about Iran proved a refreshing take on the complex nuclear talks. Watch the C-Span video and read more from Sarah Tully on our blog! [2/11]
Briefing Congress on a Bloated Budget
In case you missed it, the president unveiled the largest defense base budget request in the history of the Pentagon last week (nominal dollars). The request busts the budget caps at $534 billion, not including the war fund, meaning tough choices lie ahead in Congress. That’s why we took our charts and graphs up to Capitol Hill last week to brief our lawmakers and help them make smart cuts that will improve our national security. Read more about our work on Capitol Hill on our blog and watch a video clip.
You can also check out our Defense Budget Briefing Book on our website or read a brief breakdown of the president’s budget on our blog.
Help Us Rein In Pentagon Spending:
This year, we will continue to advocate for sensible cuts and a rebalancing of our defense priorities. We hope you’ll stand with us—because we can make a difference. Please consider a $10, $20 or $50 contribution to the Center and Council to help us continue this work!
Just before the most recent, and welcome cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia, two members of Congress asked the military to throw nuclear weapons at the problem. In an article published this week inDefense One, Lt. General Robert Gard, board chair of our research center, and Scoville Fellow Greg Terryn explain why this recommendation is a terrible idea. Read their article on our website.
READ MORE:
The 2015 elections are just months behind us, but Council Senior Fellow John Isaacs is already reviewing the Senate prospects for 2016. Next year, 24 GOP seats will be up for grabs, compared to just 10 seats for Democrats—and that’s only one bit of the good news for Democrats. Read the rest by John on the Council blog. [2/15]
On February 4, 2011, the U.S. and Russia signed a landmark agreement known as New START in an effort to further reduce the bloated nuclear arsenals of the former Cold War foes. Scoville Fellow Greg Terryn gives us the scoop on achievements under New START, as well as its future, on the Nukes of Hazard blog. [2/10]
This week, Ashton Carter was confirmed as President Obama’s newest Secretary of Defense. But last week was his dog and pony show before the Senate Armed Services. Lucky for you, there’s no need to relive the over-four-hour-long event, because we’ve got you covered with the important highlights on our blog—including the questions we wish he had been asked on the Pentagon’s profligate spending and more!
