In The News

Iran's Secret Quest for the Bomb

Leonard S. Spector May 16, 2003
Another spat between the US and the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) may be brewing. When the agency's board meets next month, Washington hopes to get it to strongly condemn Iran for its clandestine effort to develop nuclear weapons - something that the agency is reportedly loath to do. In this article, non-proliferation expert Leonard S. Spector explains the background....

Bridging the Roh-Bush Divide on Korea

Michael O'Hanlon May 14, 2003
The global focus on North Korea's nuclear program is justified, given the immediate threat that weapons could pose to the world. However, the weapons program needs to be seen in context: an economic crisis, a large-scale conventional military force, and a strained relationship with Japan, China, and South Korea will all need to be discussed as well during any US-North Korea negotiations...

Powell Says Attacks Bear Hallmark of Al-Qaeda

Judy Dempsey May 13, 2003
Three suicide attacks on compounds where foreigners live in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, killed at least seven Americans and injured over 100 more on Monday night. US Secretary of State Colin Powell says the attacks appear to be the work of Al-Qaeda, the group responsible for attacks in the US on Sept. 11, 2001. Officials in Jordan, however, worry that the attacks are more directly related to the...

Seven Nuclear Sites Looted

Barton Gellman May 10, 2003
Seven nuclear facilities in Iraq were heavily damaged or destroyed by mass lootings that began with the arrival of US ground forces in Iraq in April. Under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and U.N. resolutions, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has the sole legal authority to carry out inspections of the nuclear sites. But all that changed with the Iraq War. IAEA has even had...

New U.S. Concerns on Iran's Pursuit of Nuclear Arms

Steven R. Weisman May 8, 2003
After having dealt with one of the “Axis of Evil” countries Washington is now focusing on the other two- Iran and North Korea. While North Korea’s public threat about its nuclear program has got it the world’s spotlight, the US is concerned that Iran’s quiet work on its nuclear weapon program is not receiving sufficient attention. Iran’s clandestine effort to build a large uranium enrichment...

Will Vajpayee's Gambit Pay Off?

Edward Luce May 8, 2003
Can a military victory in one part of the world promote peace in another? A writer of the Financial Times thinks that may be happening. With the Iraq War over, India and Pakistan are assessing the long-term impact of the American victory. Although India publicly opposed the war, its leaders may not dislike the message that an American victory sends to countries supporting Islamic terrorists....

North Korea's Missile Trade Helps Fund Its Nuclear Program

Bertil Lintner May 5, 2003
A New York Times article on May 5 says that “tacitly acknowledging that North Korea may not be deterred from producing plutonium for nuclear weapons, President Bush is now trying to marshal international support for preventing the country from exporting nuclear material.” While preventing the export of nuclear material has emerged as the top priority the US government is also considering how to...