A sampling of what's available...

How to close the US nuclear industry: Do nothing

By Peter A. Bradford

Nuclear exit, the US energy mix, and carbon dioxide emissions

By Henry D. Jacoby, Sergey Paltsev

US nuclear forces, 2013

By Hans M. Kristensen, Robert S. Norris

Columnists

Joshua Pollack

How to prevent war with Iran

27 January 2012

As Israel attempts to disrupt Iran's nuclear ambitions and the United States enforces sanctions against the state, Iran calls for revenge. What needs to be done to avert war? Steps Israel, the United States, and Iran should -- and should not -- take.

Missile control: A multi-decade experiment in nonproliferation

1 August 2011

The successes and failures of 30 years of policies to stop the spread of missiles have lessons for the future.

Guarding against disaster: As Japan's tragedy becomes more serious, so does the need to learn from it

15 March 2011

Not to be overlooked is the necessity for a twofold nuclear-safety strategy: stricter standards for reactor designs and systematic efforts to reduce the consequences of accidents.

The high stakes of New START

6 December 2010

How should senators think about New START? When two countries hold each other's future in their hands, effective mutual reassurance is a basic and enduring need.

New START and the allure of strategic superiority

24 September 2010

Future developments in missile defense and conventional prompt global strike could undermine the logic of the treaty and damage trust and cooperation between the United States and Russia.

Contending with the new "radioactive patriotism"

20 July 2010

Stopping the spread of fissile material technology will require governments to make nonproliferation a high priority over the long haul.

What nonproliferation diplomacy can and can't achieve

2 June 2010

Will sanctions on Iran ever be strong enough?

Is a nuclear nonproliferation consensus within reach?

3 May 2010

This year's NPT Review Conference might be less about unanimity and more about strategy. Could isolating the outliers be the best move in building a stronger nonproliferation regime?

What Obama's Nuclear Posture Review accomplishes

7 April 2010

It isn't everything those hoping for a truly transformative document wanted, but the Obama administration's remaking of U.S. nuclear strategy is a genuine achievement.

Extended deterrence and the tactical nuclear mirage

12 March 2010

Tactical nukes aren't necessary to demonstrate Washington's commitment to the security of its allies. Nor do they determine whether such allies will seek nuclear weapons of their own.

Is the cyber threat a weapon of mass destruction?

20 January 2010

Probably not--despite the fears of U.S. military officials and others. Nonetheless, it's troublesome, especially when it pertains to U.S.-Chinese relations.

The Nuclear Posture Review, now and later

6 January 2010

Any truly transformative change the upcoming Nuclear Posture Review institutes will take time. But there are two simpler strategies Washington can pursue immediately to fight nuclear proliferation and terrorism.

Time for a test-ban bargain

30 November 2009

There is a way to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty while also preserving the expertise of the country's nuclear weapons complex. It's called the Stockpile Management Program.

Reducing the role of nuclear weapons

30 October 2009

The first step--the United States should declare a no-first-use policy, signaling to the world that its nuclear arsenal is for deterrence and deterrence only.

Deconstructing the Iranian challenge

29 September 2009

How the international community handles Iran in the coming days far transcends Tehran's nuclear ambitions; it also directly affects the legitimacy of the U.N. Security Council and NPT.

Getting back to basics on missile defense

15 September 2009

Missile defense has a military purpose, it's just not the one most people think of.

Profile

Joshua Pollack (Profile Image)

Joshua Pollack

Pollack is a consultant to the US government. He has conducted studies in several areas, including arms control, verification technologies, proliferation, deterrence, intelligence, homeland security, counterterrorism, and regional security affairs. He is a regular contributor at the prominent blog Arms Control Wonk, focusing primarily on current challenges to the nuclear nonproliferation regime. He also has written recently about issues surrounding emerging non-nuclear strategic forces, including conventional prompt global strike weapons and strategic missile defenses. He is a graduate of Vassar College and the University of Maryland, where he attended the Maryland School of Public Policy. The opinions expressed here are his own and don't necessarily reflect those of his employer or clients.

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