Carl Robichaud

Serious threats require serious action, and there is broad nonpartisan agreement that nuclear terrorism remains one of the most daunting threats of the 21st century. But the Nuclear Security Summit process remains limited, because there is no globally agreed-upon standard for securing nuclear material, leaving us reliant on a patchwork of voluntary steps, bilateral agreements and unfunded mandates.
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President Barack Obama's multipronged approach to minimizing nuclear risks is nothing if not ambitious. Now there is a temptation to view the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference, which begins this week, as a global referendum on that approach. But placing these types of expectations upon the NPT Review Conference would be a mistake for several reasons. more

After the Sept. 16 Blackwater scandal in Iraq, private security contractors have increasingly come under scrutiny in other theaters of war, such as Afghanistan. But while efforts in Afghanistan to rein in such contractors seem to parallel those in Iraq, they are driven by different dynamics -- and have very different implications. In the short run, we may be stuck with a heavy reliance on PSCs in Afghanistan, but we should not pretend that this approach was inevitable -- or that it is sustainable. more

It is difficult today to recall the anxiety that shook America when, fifty years ago, Sputnik pierced the atmosphere. "No event since Pearl Harbor set off such repercussions in public life," University of Pennsylvania historian Walter A. McDougall has observed. Sputnik was the starting gun for a desperate, urgent race between the United States and the Soviet Union for space superiority -- and the military advantages it might confer -- which would consume billions while leaving neither nation safer. more

For decades during the Cold War, the United States sought nuclear primacy. Now it may be on the verge of achieving it. Today, Russia's arsenal and warning system have dramatically deteriorated while the United States continues to refine the accuracy of its missiles and the functionality of its nascent missile defenses. As America's presidential candidates begin to articulate positions on nuclear policy, it is worth remembering that in all dealings with the nuclear genie, you should be careful what you wish for. . . . more

Before the United States and India can consummate their nuclear pact, a major hurdle remains: The guidelines of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) prohibit nuclear export to countries that, like India, lack full-scope safeguards. Beijing hinted again this week that it might block an NSG exception for India. If it does, Washington will be faced with a choice: negotiate a solution, or proceed without the NSG's mandate. But a decision to walk away from the NSG would prove highly counterproductive. more

On Monday, Presidents Bush and Karzai concluded their Camp David meeting with a press conference at which they stood united on every major issue. By Thursday, after Pakistan's President Musharraf backed out of a U.S.-orchestrated tribal assembly and a British commander complained about U.S. counterinsurgency operations, the bloom was off the rose. While Bush understands the importance of demonstrating that Karzai enjoys full U.S. support, rifts are becoming evident between Afghanistan and the United States. more