CND's Press Round-Up - 29h April 2021
Posted: 29th April 2021
Please find today’s press round up below. Thank you to all for their continued help and support.
Nuclear Weapons
The U.S. tries to reassure its allies over the talks in Vienna, whilst two analytical piece on its Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent’s siting and longevity pose hard questions.
Iran Nuclear Deal Diplomacy
A U.S. delegation will travel to the Middle East this week to attempt to secure buy-in from the U.S’s allies in the region for renewed U.S. participation in the JCPoA, according to Reuters. The delegation is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Jordan. Most U.S. allies in the area are strongly opposed to the ongoing nuclear diplomatic efforts with Iran, in part because of what they see as its proxy war in Yemen.
Inter-continental Ballistic Missiles
In The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Ivan Oelrich argues for making alterations to the U.S’s ground-based nuclear arsenal by siting the missiles, warheads and weapons systems deep underground. In his view, this would alleviate what nuclear strategists have seen as the inherent vulnerability to a surprise attack of the current U.S. programme. In turn, this would mean that these weapons would not need to be kept on ‘high alert’ at all times.
Meanwhile, at the War History Online website, Craig Bowman provides an account of the logistical challenges of keeping the Minuteman III missile and their siloes in a state of good maintenance. Routine maintenance is frequently delayed for months on end, according to Bowman, because many of those companies which produced vital components are no longer in operation. In particular, the facility in Kansas City which maintains the non-nuclear parts of the weapons has an extended backlog of work.
Anti-war
Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address hones in on ‘competition’ with a rising China to provide a sense of national mission and unifying agenda. Meanwhile, there is a further naval incident in the Persian Gulf and France tests the missile which carries its nuclear warheads.
U.S. Grand Strategy
President Joe Biden has delivered his first State of the Union address, emphasising renewed U.S. competition with China. Introducing his $1.8 trillion spending package, the Guardian reports that Biden told the joint session of Congress that ‘We’re in a competition with China and other countries to win the 21st Century’. Additionally, Biden said that the U.S. would ‘maintain a strong military presence in the Indo-Pacific…not to start conflict-but to prevent conflict’.
Iran-U.S. Relations
U.S. vessels have fired ‘warning shots’ at Iranian fast boats in the Persian Gulf, according to Al Jazeera. This is the second such incident between Iranian and U.S. ship in the area his month. Earlier this week, the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East had said that ‘the activities we typically see from the IRGC Navy are not necessarily activities that are directed by the Supreme Leader or from the Iranian state, rather irresponsible actions by local commanders on the scene’.
French Missile Test
France has fired a strategic ballistic missile into the Northern Atlantic, according to DefenseNews. The M51.2 missile is designed to carry nuclear warheads and is tested regularly whilst in service. Each missile can carry between six and ten nuclear warheads. France is currently developing a new missile for its nuclear arsenal, the M51.3, which has an extended range and is due to come into service in 2025.
Nuclear Power
The destructive impact on marine life that Sizewell C could pose gets renewed attention.
Nuclear Power-Sizewell C
The Guardian has belatedly picked up on the issue of marine conservation at the Sizewell site, where the cooling system could potentially suck in more than 500 million local fish. The RSPB and local campaign group Together Against Sizewell C have strongly criticised the development, partially on these grounds. 8 million fish were affected every year between 2009 and 2013 by the Sizewell B site. Pete Wilkinson, chair of TASC, points out the headline figures do not account for the wider impact on marine life.
With best wishes,
Michael Muir
Press and Communications Officer
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament