Council for a Livable World

Senator Merkley (D-Or) deserves our plaudits. His ongoing efforts to initiate an accelerated troop withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan succeeded.  The Senate by an overwhelming 63-32 vote established clear Senate declarative policy in suppo…

PAKISTAN
Father of Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons Program Becomes Office Seeker
Alex Rodriguez, LA Times – November 28, 2012
He’s a hero in Pakistan for founding the country’s nuclear weapons program, and a pariah in the West for relaying nuclear secrets to rogue states. On Wednesday, aides to A.Q. Khan announced that the retired scientist has become an office seeker in the cutthroat world of Pakistani politics.

JAPAN
Japan’s Nuclear Mistake
Frank N Von Hippel and Masafumi Takubo, NY Times – November 28, 2012
This year has seen a lot of concern about the confrontation between China and Japan over a group of islets in the East China Sea. Less attention, though, is being paid to what may be a more destabilizing development: next year Japan plans to bring its long-delayed Rokkasho reprocessing plant online, which could extract as much as eight tons of weapons-usable plutonium from spent reactor fuel a year, enough for nearly 1,000 warheads.

Japan’s New Restoration Party Seeks More Defense Spending
Kiyoshi Takenaka, Chicago Tribune – November 29, 2012
A new Japanese party that hopes to become a force to contend with in a December 16 general election called for more defense spending on Thursday to protect national interests and cuts in corporate and income taxes to bolster the economy.

IRAN
Iran Working on Bomb, Graph Suggests
AP – November 28, 2012
Iranian scientists have run computer simulations for a nuclear weapon that would produce more than triple the explosive force of the World War II bomb that destroyed Hiroshima, according to a diagram obtained by The Associated Press. The diagram was leaked by officials from a country critical of Iran’s atomic program to bolster their arguments that Iran’s nuclear program must be halted before it produces a weapon.

UN Nuclear Chief Sees No Progress on Iran Concerns
Fredrik Dahl, Reuters – November 29, 2012
The U.N. nuclear agency made no progress in a year-long push to find out if Iran worked on developing an atomic bomb, its chief said on Thursday, calling for urgent efforts to end Tehran’s standoff with the West. Yukiya Amano said he would not give up seeking to end what Western diplomats describe as Iranian stonewalling of the agency’s investigation into possible military dimensions to the Islamic state’s nuclear program.

NORTH KOREA
North Korea Replaces Defense Minister with Hardline Military Commander
AP – November 29, 2012
North Korea has replaced its defense minister with a hardline military commander believed responsible for deadly attacks on South Korea in 2010, diplomats in Pyongyang said Thursday. It is the latest in a series of high-profile appointments leader Kim Jong Un has made since he took power nearly a year ago.

North Korea Pushing Ahead with New Nuclear Reactor: IAEA
Fredrik Dahl, Reuter – November 29, 2012
North Korea has made further progress in the construction of a new atomic reactor, the U.N. nuclear chief reported on Thursday, a facility that may extend the country’s capacity to produce material for nuclear bombs.
Pyongyang “has continued construction of the light water reactor and largely completed work on the exterior of the main buildings,” Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said.

SYRIA
AP Sources: US Preparing to Upgrade Recognition of Syria’s Opposition, Offer Greater Support
AP – November 29, 2012
The Obama administration is preparing to recognize Syria’s new opposition council as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people in the coming weeks, paving the way for greater U.S. support for groups seeking to oust President Bashar Assad’s regime, officials said Thursday. Announcement of the move — which has already been taken by several U.S. allies — is planned on or around a conference of more than 70 nations in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Dec. 12. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is planning to attend the latest so-called Friends of Syria gathering.

Syrian Rebels’ Arsenal Includes Up to 40 Antiaircraft Missile Systems
Joby Warrick, Washington Post – November 28, 2012
Syrian rebels have acquired as many as 40 shoulder-fired missile systems in recent weeks to counter assaults by Syrian military aircraft, introducing a possibly decisive new weapon into the conflict, Western and Middle Eastern intelligence officials say.

On November 28, the Senate began grappling with amendments, and actually disposed of several of them. Scores of amendments have been filed, although many presumably will be disposed of by unanimous consent and/or in a “managers’ package” of amendments.

Today, the Senate reconvenes at 9:30 AM and resumes work on the defense bill around 10:30 A.M.

First up is the Kyl amendment No. 3123 (see below) on consultations with Congress on nuclear weapons, missile defense and other negotiations with Russia.

Next up is the Ayotte amendment No. 3003 to require a report on three possible locations for an East Coast missile defense.

Following Ayotte is Hagan amendment No. 3095 to strike a prohibition in the bill on biofuel refinery construction.

Levin and McCain, the managers of the bill, hope to clear a number of non-controversial amendments in the morning.

This list is divided into:
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
DEFENSE ISSUES
OTHER AMENDMENTS
AMENDMENTS ALREADY CONSIDERED

AMENDMENTS PENDING OR SUBMITTED

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

National Nuclear Security Administration: Kyl (R-AZ)-Tom Udall (D-NM) amendment No. 2927 to set up a special panel to evaluate the activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration, the agency tasked with managing the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile.

Nuclear weapons triad: Hoeven (R-ND)-Tester (D-MT)-Hatch (R-UT) amendment No. 2991 endorsing the maintenance of the strategic nuclear weapons triad of land-based missiles, sea-based missiles and bombers.

Land-based missiles: Hoeven (R-ND) amendment No. 2992 requiring the U.S. to maintain 450 operational land-based intercontinental ballistic missile launch facilities whether in deployed or non-deployed status.

Missile defense:  Ayotte (R-NH)-Lieberman (I-CT)-Collins (R-ME) amendment No. 3003 to require by the end of 2013 a report on three possible locations for an East Coast missile defense.

Nuclear weapons pits: Kyl (R-AZ) amendment No. 3033 would require a report on the feasibility, cost, and advisability of reusing pits in nuclear warheads.

Consultation with Congress: Kyl (R-AZ) (and many others) amendment No. 3123 to require regular briefings and consultations with Congress on any U.S.-Russian negotiations on nuclear arms, missile defense and long-range conventional strike weapons. There is a sense of the Senate recommending Senate treaty approval for any negotiated reductions in the three areas. The exact language will be further negotiated with Senators Kerry (D-MA) and Corker (R-TN).

Land-based missiles: Barrasso (R-WY) amendment No. 3083 urging the U.S. to – consistent with U.S. international obligations – retain intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch facilities currently supporting deployed strategic nuclear delivery vehicles within the limit of 800 deployed and non-deployed strategic launchers, maintain ICBM’s on alert or operationally deployed status; and preserve ICBM’s silos in operational or warm status.

DEFENSE ISSUES

C-23 aircraft: Begich (D-AK), Manchin (D-WV), Wyden (D-OR), Hutchison (R-TX), Merkley (D-OR) amendment No. 2951 to bar the retirement or transfer of any C-13 aircraft during Fiscal Year 2013.

Base closings: Snowe (R-ME)-Begich (D-AK) amendment No. 3006 barring any funds in this bill from being used to consider a new round of defense base closure and realignment.

Pentagon audit: Coburn (R-OK)-Manchin (D-WV)  amendment No. 3111 requiring a complete and validated statement of budgetary resources of the Department of Defense is ready by not later than September 30, 2014;

OTHER AMENDMENTS

Guantanamo Bay: Inhofe amendment No. 2976 to require the long-term detention of all high-value detainees at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility.

Guantanamo Bay: Ayotte (R-NH)-Inhofe (R-OK)-Chambliss (R-GA) amendment No. 2998 prohibiting the transfer or release of individuals from the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility.  There is a similar Sessions (R-AL) amendment No. 3012.

Terrorist facility: Ayotte (R-NH)-Lieberman (I-CT)-Inhofe (R-OK)-Chambliss (R-GA) amendment No. 2999 requiring a plan for a long-term detention facility for terrorists outside the United States.

Guantanamo Bay: Ayotte (R-NH)-Inhofe (R-OK)-Chambliss (R-GA) amendment No. 3005 barring purchase of facilities within the United States to house detainees transferred from Guantanamo Bay.

Indefinite detention:  Feinstein (D-CA)- Lee (R-UT)-Coons (D-DE)-Collins (R-ME)-Paul (R-KY)-Lautenberg (D-NJ)-Gillibrand (D-NY)-Kirk (R-IL) amendment No. 3018 prohibiting the indefinite detention of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents without charge or trial.

Afghanistan: McCain (R-AZ) amendment No. 3050 to require a report on risk assessments for changes in U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan.

Aircraft to Taiwan: Cornyn (R-TX)-Menendez (D-NJ)-Inhofe (R-OH) amendment No. 3068 to required the U.S. to sale no fewer than 66 F-16C/D aircraft to Taiwan.

Afghanistan: Merkley (D-OR) amendment No. 3096 to encourage an accelerated withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Palestine: Barrasso (R-WY)-Lee (R-UT)-Inhofe (R-OK) amendment No. 3139 requiring the U.S., if Palestine is granted upgraded status by the UN, cut assistance by 50% to the Palestinian authority, cut assistance to any UN entity granting this status by 50% and cut assistance by 20% to countries that vote for enhanced Palestinian membership (with a national security waiver only for this last category).

Palestine: Hatch (R-UT)-Roberts (R-KS)-Chambliss (R-GA)-Barrasso (R-WY)-Inhofe (R-OK)-Wicker (R-MI)-Lee (R-UT)-Coburn (R-OK)-Risch (R-ID)-Rubio (R-FL) amendment No. 3171 to bar all U.S. funding to the United Nations if the General Assembly vote  to upgrade the status of the Palestinians.  

MAJOR AMENDMENTS ALREADY CONSIDERED

Embassy security: McCain amendment No. 3051 to authorize additional Marine Corps personnel for the performance of security functions for US embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic facilities abroad. Adopted by voice vote Nov. 28.

Biofuels: Udall (D-CO) amendment No. 2985 to restore the Pentagon ability to invest in biofuels by striking Section 313 in the bill.  Adopted 62-37 Nov. 28.

Sexual offenses in the military: Gillibrand (D-NY)-Collins (R-ME)-Snowe (R-ME) amendment No. 3016 requiring the military to discharge service people convicted of certain sexual offenses. Adopted by voice vote Nov. 28.

DEFENSE SPENDING
Budget Agreement Reached!
Gordon Adams, Foreign Policy – November 27, 2012
Think tanks are often the canary in the coal mine when it comes to change in Washington, and their perspective on defense has changed dramatically since the election. Over the past few weeks, think tanks right, left, and center have issued reports that lay out the road to a disciplined defense drawdown, in which they rethink strategy, military force, weapons buying, and management.

IRAN
Iran nuclear chief: Enrichment to move ahead with ‘intensity’
AP – November 28, 2012
Iran’s nuclear chief says uranium enrichment will move ahead with “intensity” with a sharp increase in the number of centrifuges used to make the nuclear fuel.

Iran’s nuclear stockpile grows but not yet in “danger zone”
Fredrik Dahl, Reuters – November 27,  2012
An increase in Iran’s higher-grade uranium stockpile is worrying but may arise from a bottleneck in making reactor fuel rather than a bid to quickly accumulate material that could be used for nuclear weapons, diplomats and experts say.

NORTH KOREA
S. Korean, Chinese nuclear envoys to hold talks on N. Korea this week
Yonhap News – November 28, 2012
South Korea’s top nuclear envoy will visit China this week to discuss the situation of the Korean Peninsula and North Korean issues, Seoul’s foreign ministry said Wednesday, amid reports the communist country appears to prepare for another ballistic missile test.

HOMELAND SECURITY
MCCAUL: Correcting Homeland Security corruption
Rep. Michael T. McCaul, Washington Times – November 28, 2012
With these same sound business principles in mind, it is necessary to conduct an independent, top-to-bottom examination of deficiencies in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership and management structure.

AFGHANISTAN
Review: Kabul Bank sent hundreds of millions of dollars out of Afghanistan
AP, Washington Post – November 28, 2012
Hundreds of millions of dollars from Kabul Bank were spirited out of Afghanistan — some smuggled in airline food trays — to bank accounts in more than two dozen countries, according to an independent review released on Wednesday about massive fraud that led to the collapse of the nation’s largest financial institution.

SYRIA
Syrian rebels, civilians brace for long civil war
Khalil Hamra, CBS News – November 28, 2012
A dark realization is spreading across northern Syria that despite 20 months of violence and recent rebel gains, an end to the war to topple President Bashar Assad is nowhere in sight.As a result, civilians and rebel fighters are digging in, building an infrastructure to secure rebel towns, care for the wounded and escalate the fight against Assad’s forces.

On Syria border, Turkey faces challenge of removing its own land mines, a legacy of the 1950s
AP, Washington Post – November 28, 2012
Turkey says it plans to clear anti-personnel mines on the Syria border by 2016, missing a March 2014 deadline required by the international Mine Ban Treaty. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines, a Geneva-based group that won the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, has criticized Turkey for its slow progress.

CYBER THREATS
Taipei’s Cyberwarfare Gambit
Paul Nash, Diplomat Courier – November 28, 2012
When it comes to questions of territorial sovereignty, Taiwan has never been shy about making bold, even antagonistic accusations against the Chinese mainland. Cyber territory is no exception. According to a report lately published by Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, the PRC is behind a growing number of cyberintrusions targeting its government and corporate networks—more than a million during the first half of this year alone.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Reducing the Role of Nuclear Weapons: What the NPDI Can Do
George Perkovich, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace – November 28, 2012
If the NPDI states are to accomplish their laudable objectives, they will need to blend realism with idealism. Seven of the ten states live under the U.S. nuclear umbrella, and among the seven, there are divergent perceptions of threat from nuclear-armed competitors. Agreeing on where to put the threshold for potential nuclear use will be difficult.