BU Now » nuclear weapons

Report: Burma developing nuke

Dick Taffe — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:16:55 +0000

Smuggled evidence shows Burma’s military rulers are secretly acquiring components for a nuclear weapons program, though it appears the impoverished nation is many years away from developing an actual bomb. Political science Professor Joseph Wippl, a 30-year career CIA officer, says the report developed by the dissident group Democratic Voice of Burma, again shows the need for accurate intelligence collection.

“There is no country so unimportant or so isolated as not to require intelligence and U.S. intelligence community expertise on that country or region.”

Contact Joseph Wippl, 617-353-8992, jwippl@bu.edu

Obama rethinking nuke policy

Dick Taffe — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:09:42 +0000

The White House reportedly is rethinking the nation’s nuclear weapons strategy to aim at permanently reducing the U.S. arsenal while rejecting swear-no-first-use proposals. Attorney Philip O’Neill, author of “Verification in an Age of Insecurity” and who teaches national security law at BU Law, says this nuclear review should be the time and place for a little policy ambiguity.

“Preserving that option in present circumstances makes continuing good sense in the absence of verifiable arms control progress. Declaratory policy in this instance should follow rather than lead that effort.”

Contact Philip O’Neill, 617-951-2253, poneill@eapdlaw.com

Iran’s nuke dilemma

Dick Taffe — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:04:54 +0000

With international atomic energy officials still dickering with Iran over Iran’s uranium-enrichment program, international relations Professor Augustus Richard Norton, in a Q&A with BU Today, says that given the political realities in the United States it’s going to be difficult to deter the Iranians from what they’re doing.

“If I were advising the president on this topic, I would allow the situation in Iran to continue to unfold, pursue and facilitate the swap of enriched uranium vis-à-vis Turkey, and pursue limited sanctions with a view to targeting Iranian officials rather than the Iranian public in general.”

Contact Augustus Richard Norton, 617-353-7808, arn@bu.edu