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December

• DoD Statement on Anthrax 23 Dec 2003 -- The Department of Defense is currently reviewing a preliminary injunction recently granted by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia regarding the department’s anthrax vaccination program.
• Transcript: Assistant Secretary of Defense Health Affairs William Winkenwerder Briefing 23 Dec 2003 -- "Yesterday, a U.S. district court judge ordered a suspension of the department's anthrax immunization program against the deadly biological agent anthrax. This decision was in response to a suit brought by six anonymous individuals in March of this year. The department is reviewing the judge's order. As a matter of pending litigation, I'll have no further comment on that litigation at this time."
• Bolton Says Proliferation Security Initiative Has "Twofold Aim" Washington File 19 Dec 2003 -- The new Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) has a twofold aim -- to reduce the quantities of WMD in the world and to raise the political and economic costs of trafficking in WMD, says Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton.
• Bolton Says Anti-Proliferation Meeting Successful Washington File 17 Dec 2003 -- The State Department's top arms control official expressed pleasure with the results of a two-day meeting in Washington on the U.S.-sponsored Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), according to a department statement.
• Nuclear Weapons and Rogue States: Challenge and Response US Dept. of State 03 Dec 2003 -- John R. Bolton, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Remarks to the Conference of the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis and the Fletcher School’s International Security Studies Program
• Reshaping the Heart of the Nation's Deterrence Paradigm AFPS 02 Dec 2003 -- During the Cold War, deterrence was at the heart of American strategy. The nuclear weapon triad of land-based missiles, bombers and submarine-launched missiles deterred the Soviet Union from attacking the United States and its allies.

  November

• Taking Stock of the Atoms for Peace Model US Dept. of State 13 Nov 2003 -- Stephen G. Rademaker, Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Remarks to the Symposium on "Atoms for Peace After 50 Years: New Challenges and Opportunities"
• Bolton Confident Proliferation Security Initiative Is Legitimate Washington File 13 Nov 2003 -- The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) is, without question, legitimate and will be "extremely efficient in its efforts against weapons of mass destruction (WMD)," says John Bolton, under secretary of state for arms control and international security.
• The Continuing Threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction by John R. Bolton, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security US Dept. of State 12 Nov 2003 -- "It is a real pleasure to have the opportunity to be here at the American Spectator dinner to discuss the steps the Bush Administration is taking to keep our country and our friends and allies safe from the threat of weapons of mass destruction. Without question, today’s greatest threat to international peace and stability comes from rogue states and terrorist groups that are unrestrained in their choice of weapon and undeterred by conventional means."

  October

• U.S. Moves to Develop Smaller Nukes under Fire KCNA 12 Nov 20003 -- The U.S. imperialists' moves to develop smaller nukes will have an adverse impact on the worldwide endeavors for disarmament and the elimination of nuclear weapons, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
• Bolton Says U.S. Is Actively Seeking to Curb Proliferation Washington File 30 Oct 2003 -- "Rogue states such as Iran, North Korea, Syria, Libya and Cuba, whose pursuit of weapons of mass destruction makes them hostile to U.S. interests, will learn that their covert programs will not escape either detection or consequences," says John Bolton, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security.
• Maritime Interdiction Exercise Successful in Med Navy Newsstand 27 Oct 2003-- Warships from four North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations completed maritime interdiction exercises Oct. 17, to train in one of the world's hotbeds of maritime activity.
• Relaxed Export Controls Proposed for Computer Production Technology Washington File 24 Oct 2003 -- The U.S. Department of Commerce has proposed relaxing export controls on computer production technology and software and on microprocessor technology to make them conform to the level of controls on computers and microprocessors themselves.
• Energy Conference Reviews History of Nuclear Controls Washington File 23 Oct 2003 -- Experts in nuclear science, weapons, and nonproliferation gathered in Washington, D.C., October 22 to review and discuss the current state of nuclear power as well as its implications for the future.
• U.S. Outlines Priorities for Chemical Weapons Meeting Washington File 21 Oct 2003 -- Agreeing on a budget and approving an action plan to assist and ensure full and effective compliance by members of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) are the foremost priorities for the organization, according to a U.S. official.
• USS Nebraska Slated for Homeport Change Navy Newsstand 20 Oct 2003-- USS Nebraska (SSBN 739), a fleet ballistic missile submarine assigned to Submarine Group 10 here, will transfer to Naval Submarine Base (NSB) Bangor, Wash., Oct. 1, 2004.
• Multilateral Maritime Interdiction Exercise Begins Navy Newsstand 16 Oct 2003-- The guided missile frigate USS Nicholas (FFG 47) and a P-3 surveillance aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 10 operating out of Sigonella, Sicily, recently joined naval assets from six other nations to begin SANSO 03, a four-day, multilateral maritime interdiction training exercise in the Mediterranean.
• U.S., U.K. Firms, Volunteers Collaborate on Smallpox Cure Washington File 01 Oct 2003-- At an event marking the completion of an "important first stage in finding a treatment for smallpox," several U.S. and U.K. companies have presented the results of the Smallpox Research Grid project, the U.S. Department of Defense announced September 30.
• United States Asks for Extension on Chemical Weapons Destruction Deadline AFPS 01 Oct 2003-- Stressing that the United States is committed to meeting its Chemical Weapons Convention obligations, officials have asked for an extension on the deadline for destroying its intermediate 45 percent chemical weapons stockpile.

  September

• Top U.S. Official Calls on U.N. To Act To Curb Proliferation Washington File 26 Sept 2003-- The U.N. Security Council must strengthen its credibility by addressing North Korea's challenge to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a senior State Department arms control official says.
• Thirty-fourth Regular Session of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) US Dept. of State 23 Sep 2003 -- Ambassador Eric M. Javits, Head of the U.S. Delegation
• EDWARD TELLER DIES VOA 23 Sept 2003-- Physicist Edward Teller, the Hungarian-born scientist who helped the United States develop the atomic and, later, the hydrogen bomb, died [9-10] at the age of 95.
• U.S., Russia, Romania, IAEA Cooperate on Non-proliferation Washington File 22 Sept 2003-- Fourteen kilograms of fresh highly enriched uranium from Romania have been returned to Russia under the U.S.-funded Research Reactor Fuel Return (RRRFR) Initiative, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced September 22.
• Abraham Urges IAEA Members to Strengthen Nonproliferation Regime Washington File 15 Sept 2003-- U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham says members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must work together to strengthen the nonproliferation regime, which is now facing serious challenges from rogue states and terrorist organizations seeking the capability to attain weapons of mass destruction.
• CONGRESS/NUCLEAR VOA 15 Sept 2003-- A group of Senate Democrats is renewing an effort to cut funding from Bush administration plans to study a new type of low-yield nuclear weapon
• Bush Praises Physicist Edward Teller as great American Washington File 11 Sept 2003-- President Bush says Edward Teller, who played a key role in U.S. defense and energy policies, was a tireless patriot and great American who devoted much of his life to making Americans more secure. Teller died September 9 in Stanford, California at the age of 95.
• WMD Anti-proliferation Regime to Receive Initial Test Washington File 10 Sept 2003-- The first of 10 planned exercises in a multinational operation to combat the growing weapons proliferation threat will occur this weekend in the Coral Sea, according to a senior State Department official speaking to reporters on background September 9.
• EDWARD TELLER OBIT VOA 10 Sept 2003-- Edward Teller -- the man known as the "father of the H-bomb" -- has died in California, at the age of 95
• PENTAGON / W-M-D VOA 09 Sept 2003-- A top U-S military commander in Iraq says no evidence has yet surfaced of any weapons of mass destruction despite numerous intelligence tips.
• Texts: White House Statement, Fact Sheet on Proliferation Security Washington File 05 Sept 2003-- The White House welcomed a statement of interdiction principles released in Paris September 4 by eleven nations that are participating in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).
• Proliferation Security Initiative: Statement of Interdiction Principles US Dept. of State 04 Sep 2003 -- The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) is a response to the growing challenge posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems, and related materials worldwide. The PSI builds on efforts by the international community to prevent proliferation of such items, including existing treaties and regimes. It is consistent with and a step in the implementation of the UN Security Council Presidential Statement of January 1992, which states that the proliferation of all WMD constitutes a threat to international peace and security, and underlines the need for member states of the UN to prevent proliferation.
• Statement by the Press Secretary: Principles for the Proliferation Security Initiative US Dept. of State 04 Sep 2003 -- The United States welcomes the announcement today in Paris of the Statement of Interdiction Principles for the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). The eleven nations currently participating in this initiative, which President Bush announced in Krakow on May 31, 2003, have made significant strides in shaping a new environment to combat trafficking to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, and related materials.
• Nonproliferation Initiative Talks Being Held in Paris Washington File 03 Sept 2003-- An 11-nation coalition has begun a two-day meeting in Paris to continue the development of a U.S.-sponsored nonproliferation interdiction initiative -- via air, land and sea lanes -- to prevent the flow of weapons of mass destruction, missiles and related technology to and from countries of "proliferation concern," the Department of State said September 2.
• U.S. Chemical Weapons Destruction Extension Requested 03 Sept 2003-- The Department of Defense announced today that the United States will not meet the 45 percent chemical weapons stockpile destruction deadline of April 29, 2004, as set down by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The United States is therefore requesting the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) grant an extension of the 45 percent destruction deadline. The revised destruction date is December 2007. The request will be made in accordance with the provisions of the CWC and is based on the status of destruction operations at U.S. chemical weapons demilitarization facilities and projection of future operations.
• Proliferation Security Initiative – Paris Meeting of Core Participants, September 3-4, 2003 US Dept. of State 02 Sep 2003 -- Proliferation Security Initiative core participants will meet in Paris on September 3-4. The U.S. delegation is headed by Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John R. Bolton. Previous meetings occurred on June 12 in Madrid and July 9-10 in Brisbane.

  August

• U-N/NUCLEAR BAN VOA 31 Aug 2003 -- Pressure is mounting on the United States and China to ratify a nuclear test ban treaty that would ban all nuclear explosions.
• ElBaradei accuses US of violating NPT IRNA 26 Aug 2003 -- The head of the United Nations watchdog agency accused the United States of violating the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a result of Washington`s secret efforts to develop so-called `mini-nukes` -- nuclear weapons with an explosive force of less than five kilotons of TNT.
• RUSSIA/U-S/NUKES VOA 25 Aug 2003 -- The senior U-S diplomat for arms control, John Bolton, is expected to reaffirm U-S concerns about the nuclear intentions of North Korea and Iran, during two days of talks in Moscow.
• Officials release accident report AFPN 21 Aug 2003-- Air Force investigators determined that two rivets failed on an improperly loaded B-1B Lancer bomber. The aircraft sustained almost $1.3 million in damage during a March 31 bombing mission.
• B-2 drops enhanced bombs during test AFPN 19 Aug 2003-- A B-2 Spirit released two newly-upgraded 5,000-pound live weapons Aug. 14 in a test by the B-2 Global Power Bomber Combined Test Force here.
• U.S. Army Begins Chemical Weapons Burn VOA 18 Aug 2003 -- In the United States, the Army has started to destroy old chemical weapons at a base in the southern state of Alabama. The operation began last Saturday at a storage center near the city of Anniston.
• SMALLPOX / IMMUNITY VOA 18 Aug 2003 -- A new study shows that millions of people who received smallpox shots decades ago still retain some immunity to the virus. This could help protect them if bioterrorists launch a smallpox attack. But many experts say this leftover immunity is unlikely to be strong enough to be useful.
• U.S.-Dutch Effort to Detect Hidden Nuclear Shipments Washington File 13 Aug 2003 -- The U.S. and Dutch governments are cooperating in the war on terrorism by installing special monitoring equipment at Europe's busiest seaport in Rotterdam to detect hidden shipments of nuclear and other radioactive material.
• B-2 drops 80 test bombs AFPN 08 Aug 2003-- In an effort to increase the B-2 Spirit's operational capability, a test force here conducted an airborne release of 80 Joint Direct Attack Munitions separation test vehicles. The separation test vehicles are inert weapons used to collect data.
• Compliance Diplomacy Takes on Greater Emphasis in Arms Control Washington File 08 Aug 2003 -- The United States views the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a bedrock of its nonproliferation efforts, says Assistant Secretary of State for Verification and Compliance Paula DeSutter.
• U.S. Scientists Gain Ground in Preventing Ebola Washington File 07 Aug 2003 -- The National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced August 6 that an experimental vaccine has protected test monkeys injected with Ebola from developing the often-deadly disease. The achievement marks an advance toward protecting individuals and their communities from the highly contagious Ebola hemorrhagic fever, which causes death in more than 50 percent of its victims, according to international disease monitors.
• FAST EBOLA VACCINE VOA 06 Aug 2003 -- U-S government scientists have developed a speedy vaccine against the deadly Ebola virus, which continues to emerge in central Africa. It protected test monkeys six times faster than an earlier version. The researchers hope it might someday be useful against a quickly spreading infection.
• Bush Letter to Congress on New ATOMAL Agreement Parties Washington File 05 Aug 2003 -- Four members of NATO are becoming parties to the ATOMAL Agreement, which allows the transfer of atomic information within the context of NATO. President Bush has sent to Congress documents concerning his approval of these four participation in the ATOMAL Agreement.

  July

• Energy's Abraham Acts on Non-proliferation Projects in Russia Washington File 23 Jul 2003 -- U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham has acted to ensure that U.S. non-proliferation projects in Russia continue uninterrupted if the 1998 Nuclear Cities Initiative (NCI) agreement is not renewed before it expires in September.
• Abraham on Meeting the New Century's Nuclear Challenges Washington File 21 Jul 2003 -- The United States took another step toward eliminating the last vestiges of Cold War nuclear weapons production in May when the Department of Energy awarded contracts for construction of fossil fuel power plants to replace three Russian nuclear reactors.
• Process strips paint off B-1s AFPN 18 Jul 2003-- Layer by layer, a B-1 Lancer here sheds paint under a pressurized assault by tiny bits of plastic.
• Maintainers are heart of ‘Big White Jet’ ACC News 15 July 2003-- On paper, the E-4B is known as the National Airborne Operations Center, but to the men and women of the 1st Aircraft Maintenance Unit, it’s ”The Big White Jet.”
• Anthrax Vaccine Moves Into Clinical Trials AFPS 09 Jul 2003 -- The next-generation anthrax vaccine, based on a decade of work at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, is now moving into not one, but four clinical trials.
• WMD Proposals Discussed in Australia VOA News 09 Jun 2003 -- Representatives from 11 countries are meeting in Australia to discuss U.S. proposals for halting trade in weapons of mass destruction. At a security conference in Brisbane, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control John Bolton said that Washington and its allies will act to stop the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. He says the effort will be part of the war on terrorism.
• AUSTRALIA/NORKOR/WEAPONS VOA 09 Jun 2003 -- Representatives from 11 countries are meeting in Australia to discuss U-S proposals for halting trade in weapons of mass destruction.
• Navy personnel keep watchfrom Travis AFB flight line AMCNS 07 Jul 2003 -- Little known to many personnel and residents here, the U.S. Navy has had a presence on the other side of the Travis runway since April 1988. More than 100 sailors man a tightly secured area known as "TACAMO," or "Take Charge and Move Out."
• Team Ensures Vaccines Keep Their Cool, Arrive on Time AFPS 07 Jul 2003 -- When top DoD officials mandate anthrax or smallpox vaccinations for service members, a small group of dedicated logisticians at the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency spring into action. Their job? Make sure the vaccine gets where it needs to go and arrives in pristine condition.
• US Smallpox Vaccination Plan Delayed by Fears of Side Effects VOA News 05 Jul 2003 -- After vaccinating nearly half-a-million American servicemen and women for smallpox, the Pentagon announced last week it has found the vaccine to be safe.

  June

• U.S., EU to Cooperate on Terror, Counterproliferation AFPS 26 Jun 2003 -- U.S. and European Union leaders signed agreements designed to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to increase cooperation in the global war on terror.
• Military Study Shows Safety of Smallpox Vaccination Program 26 Jun 2003 -- Dr. William Winkenwerder, Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, announced yesterday that research DoD conducted over a six-month period, suggests that a large-scale vaccination program can be carried out safely with few serious adverse events.
• U.S., EU Leaders Pledge Renewed Efforts to Halt Spread of WMD Washington File 25 Jun 2003 -- President Bush, Greek Prime Minister Konstandinos Simitis, president of the European Council, and Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, issued a joint statement June 25 pledging "to use all means available to avert WMD [weapons of mass destruction] proliferation and the calamities that would follow."
• Smallpox Vaccine Has "No Serious Side Effects," Military Study Concludes AFPS 25 Jun 2003 -- Mass smallpox vaccinations can be conducted safely with "very low" rates of serious adverse effects, the Defense Department's senior medical official said today.
• SMALLPOX VACCINATION STUDY VOA 25 Jun 2003 -- A U-S military study has found that a large smallpox vaccination campaign can be carried out safely with few adverse health consequences. The findings offer the first new data about the safety of smallpox vaccination in 35 years.
• Rumsfeld Says World Needs to Work Harder to Control Nuclear Weapons AFPS 20 Jun 2003 -- The world's efforts to counter the proliferation of nuclear weapons have not been successful, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said June 19. If they had, he said, the United States would not have had to go to war in Iraq.
• EDITORIAL: INITIATIVE AGAINST WEAPONS SPREAD VOA 10 Jun 2003 -- The spread of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons poses a serious threat. To help counter this threat, President George W. Bush has announced a Proliferation Security Initiative. Countries working with the U.S., said Mr. Bush, include the other members of the Group of Eight -- Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, and Russia
• Bush Extends Emergency Regarding Russian Fissile Material Washington File 10 Jun 2003 -- President Bush has extended the 1994 national emergency with respect to the accumulation of a large volume of weapons-usable fissile material in the territory of the Russian Federation. Without this action, the emergency would automatically be terminated on its anniversary date, June 21, 2003.
• E-6B undergoes electromagnetic testing at Pax NAVSEA News Release 04 Jun 2003-- A team of personnel from the VX-20 E-6B test team, the NAVAIR Patuxent River Electromagnetic Effects Branch, and VQ-4 Alert Detachment Patuxent River recently conducted a series of tests on a VQ-4 E-6B Mercury aircraft at the Electromagnetic Effects Branch’s High Power Discharge Facility.
• NAVAIR celebrates first in U.S. military aviation history with E-6 engine milestone NAVSEA News Release 04 Jun 2003-- Members of the NAVAIR E-6B Program Office (PMA-271) and Strategic Communications Wing 1 marked a first in U.S. military aviation history on May 28 when they commemorated an E-6B Mercury engine that surpassed 15,000 hours of flight time without the need for major repair or removal from the wing. Oklahoma City community members, defense industry members from CFMI, Boeing and GE joined Wing and NAVAIR personnel to celebrate the milestone event during the ceremony held at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
• Wolfowitz Says U.S. Concerns Over Proliferation Are Global Washington File 03 Jun 2003 -- U.S. concerns about proliferation of nuclear weapons technology are not just limited to North Korea, says Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz.
• G-8 Partnership Makes Progress in Effort to Prevent Spread of WMD Washington File 02 Jun 2003 -- The Group of Eight (G-8) leading industrial democracies announced that it has made significant progress in its effort -- begun last year -- to prevent weapons of mass destruction from falling into the hands of terrorists and state sponsors of terrorism.
• Russia/U.S.: Bush, Putin Formalize Nuclear Reduction Treaty, Say Ties Remain Strong RFE/L 02 Jun 2003 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George W. Bush exchanged ratification documents yesterday on a treaty that calls for a two-thirds reduction of active nuclear weapons in their countries by the year 2012.
• Bush, Putin Complete Ratification of Strategic Arms Treaty Washington File 01 Jun 2003 -- President Bush and Russia's President Vladimir Putin, at a joint press briefing in St. Petersburg June 1 following a 45 minute meeting, said they had just exchanged instruments for the ratification for the Treaty of Moscow. The two had signed the treaty, to reduce deployable nuclear warheads on both sides by about two-thirds by 2012, in May 2002. The U.S. Senate approved the treaty earlier this year, and the Russian Parliament ratified it in May.
• Weapons Proliferation Concerns All, U.S. Official Says Washington File 01 Jun 2003 -- The possibility of North Korean acquisition of nuclear weapons is of global, not just bilateral, concern, according to a senior Bush administration official speaking on background June 1.
• U.S./Russia: Bush, Putin Agree To Reduce Arms RFE/L 01 Jun 2003 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George W. Bush held an informal summit in the Russian city of St. Petersburg today, during which they signed and exchanged ratification documents putting into effect a strategic nuclear weapons reduction treaty.

  May

• The debate over new nuclear weapons VOA 29 May 2003 -- Last week, as part of its debate on the 2004 defense budget, Congress freed the US Government to pursue research on new nuclear weapons. Opponents say the provocative move puts the United States on a path to develop and eventually use nuclear weapons again. Proponents of repealing the ban say America has no other choice if it wants to protect itself.
• U.S. decision to repeal "law banning smaller nukes" under fire KCNA 28 May 2003 -- The U.S. Senate recently decided to repeal the "law banning smaller nukes" that was adopted and took effect in l993, according to a news report. In accordance with this decision, the U.S. Department of Defense was tasked to work out a plan to develop, manufacture and use smaller nukes such as underground-penetrating smaller nukes and start full-scale research into them.
• Congress Agrees To Let Pentagon Study Low-Yield Nuclear Weapons Washington File 23 May 2003 -- The U.S. Congress passed the $400.5 billion fiscal 2004 defense authorization bill that includes a provision authorizing research on two new types of nuclear weapons -- small, low-yield nuclear weapons of less than 5 kilotons, and earth-penetrating nuclear bombs that could destroy underground enemy facilities.
• CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DEFENSE ANNUAL REPORT RELEASED 22 May 2003 -- The Department of Defense announced today that it has released and published its annual report on chemical and biological defense capabilities
• CONGRESS NUCLEAR VOA 21 May 2003 -- The U-S Senate and House of Representatives are expected to pass a bill Thursday authorizing 400 billion dollars for defense spending.
• U.S.: Pentagon Wants To Study Feasibility Of Battlefield 'Mini Nukes' RFE/L 21 May 2003 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says he wants to study the feasibility of small, "low-yield" nuclear weapons. The idea is that they may be useful in destroying chemical and biological agents like anthrax. Rumsfeld is stressing that the administration only wants to research, not develop, these weapons. But what exactly is a "mini nuke," and what are the risks of even pushing for their study?
• CONGRESS NUCLEAR VOA 20 May 2003 -- The Republican-led Senate, over objections by Democrats, has voted to end a decade-old ban on research and development of low-yield nuclear weapons.
• Transcript: DoD News Briefing - Secretary Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers 20 May 2003 -- "The only thing we've done that I know of is that we have proposed that the absolute ban on the study of a deep-earth penetrator has been removed from the bill at our instance, because we do intend to study a variety of types of deep earth penetrators, for very good reason. (...) That's why we want to study it. And we're kind of inclined to think that the idea that we should not be allowed to study such a weapon is not a good idea. We think it -- for one thing, I -- and then I'll ask Dick to comment on the possible use against, for example, chemical or biological storage areas, where a conventional weapon could have a disastrous effect and a low-yield nuclear weapon conceivably could have an effect that would be -- that would mitigate some of the problems with a conventional weapon. But the -- it's important to appreciate that to the extent the United States is prohibited from studying the use of such weapons -- for example, for a deep earth penetrator -- the effect in the world is that it tells the world that they're wise to invest in going underground. And that's not a good thing, from our standpoint"
• B-52 undergoes worldwide testing AFPN 20 May 2003-- The B-52H Avionics Midlife Improvement project recently completed two missions to test new hardware and software upgrades in extreme conditions around the world.
• Moscow Treaty Demonstrates U.S.-Russian Cooperation Washington File 14 May 2003 -- Ratification of the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, also known as the "Moscow Treaty," reduces overall levels of U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons, but "more importantly I think, it shows how the United States and the Russian Federation can work together on areas of mutual interest," Secretary of State Colin Powell said in Moscow May 14 after hearing the news that the Russian State Duma had just voted to ratify the treaty.
• Putin, Powell Welcome Ratification of Moscow Treaty Washington File 14 May 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed a "deep sense of satisfaction" to be in Moscow May 14 on the day the Russian State Duma ratified the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, also known as the "Moscow Treaty." The U.S. Senate unanimously approved the treaty March 6.
• U.S. Envoy to Russia Speaks Out on Terrorism, Non-Proliferation Washington File 12 May 2003 -- While the tools for dealing with terrorism are well understood and working, those for countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are not, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow said in Moscow May 12.
• Semmel Stresses Importance of Safeguards to NPT Lifespan Washington File 06 May 2003 -- Weak safeguards "could undermine the security and economic benefits" of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), says U.S. State Department official Andrew Semmel, thereby leading "to its erosion and demise."
• Moscow Treaty Cuts Top List of U.S. Non-Proliferation Treaty Support Washington File 05 May 2003 -- The U.S. Mission in Geneva has issued the following May 5 fact sheet on U.S. policies and its actions in support of Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
• U.S. Official Points To Progress On Nuclear Disarmament Washington File 05 May 2003 -- The United States has made "considerable progress" toward nuclear disarmament as articulated in Article VI of the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a State Department official said in Geneva May 1.
• Semmel Underlines Importance of Adhering to NPT Obligations Washington File 05 May 2003 -- The United States encourages all parties to the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) "to avoid nuclear cooperation with countries whose actions call into question their NPT commitments," says a U.S. State Department official, "and to underscore the absolute importance of their adherence to their Treaty obligations."
• Semmel: Strengthen Non-Poliferation Treaty Enforcement Measures Washington File 05 May 2003 -- A U.S. representative to a preparatory meeting in advance of the 2005 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference called on all nations to refocus on the growing need for oversight and control of nuclear material and technology.
• U.S. Says Nuclear Disarmament Goal Still Requires Gradual Approach Washington File 05 May 2003 -- The United States supports --- unambiguously --- Article VI of the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the goal of nuclear disarmament, according to a May 1 information paper distributed by the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva.
• Will U.S. Victory In Iraq Persuade 'Rogue Regimes' To Change Their Behavior? RFE/L 05 May 2003 -- U.S. President George W. Bush recently declared victory in Iraq. Will America's overwhelming display of military might and resolve in Iraq now pressure other "rogue regimes" to change their ways in order not to be Washington's next target?
• Controversial Production Of Plutonium Pits Restarted RFE/L 01 May 2003 -- The United States Department of Energy recently announced that it has restarted production of plutonium pits -- a key component in nuclear weapons -- for the first time in 14 years. Critics say the move could trigger a new arms race and contravenes U.S. commitments to de-emphasize reliance on nuclear weapons. Supporters say keeping America's nuclear weapons stockpile in mint condition is the only way to guarantee security.
• NUCLEAR FUTURE VOA 01 May 2003 -- A Nobel laureate and former nuclear scientist is expressing concern that a new nuclear-arms race may soon be under way. Joseph Rotblat received an award for his work in the fields of science, peace, and health.

  April

• Iraq Showed Limits of Nonproliferation Regime, Armitage Says Washington File 30 Apr 2003 -- The example of Iraq under Saddam Hussein demonstrates that the current international nonproliferation "architecture is showing some signs of age," says Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.
• Abraham Calls International Cooperation Vital for Energy Security Washington File 29 Apr 2003 -- U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham says that international collaboration is "critical" for addressing energy security challenges in the 21st century.
• U.S. Urges Serious Consequences For Non-Proliferation Treaty Violators Washington File 28 Apr 2003 -- A leading U.S. government nuclear nonproliferation official urged "serious consequences for those who violate their NPT commitments" and described Iran's nuclear program as a "fundamental challenge" at an international conference in Geneva April 28.
• U-S / N-P-T VOA 28 Apr 2003 -- The United States says that North Korea, Iran, and several other countries have cheated on their obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
• Brooks Outlines Measures to Combat Future WMD Proliferation Washington File 25 Apr 2003 -- A top U.S. Department of Energy official says the threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) must be addressed through measures that focus on counter-proliferation, strengthened non-proliferation, and minimizing the effects of WMD use.
• Bush Says Proliferation Controls Must Be Strengthened Washington File 25 Apr 2003 -- The world must focus on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and on strengthening international controls of it, President Bush says.
• FIRST JOINT PROGRAM EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DEFENSE FORMED 25 Apr 2003 -- The Department of Defense today announced the formation of the first ever Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD). This DoD initiative will focus on the protection of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines against the use of battlefield chemical and biological weapons.
• AVOIDING NUCLEAR ARMAGEDDON VOA 21 Apr 2003 -- Weapons of mass destruction pose a greater threat today than ever before. Though we have had the capacity to destroy ourselves since the dawn of the nuclear age, what makes today different is the availability of such weapons to rogue states and terrorists.
• America's Secret City: Oak Ridge, Tennessee VOA 17 Apr 2003 -- Imagine taking a job without being told what task you would perform or even what city you would work in. As World War Two raged in the early 1940s, 20-old Joanne Gailar took just such a job in a city without a name. Not until the war's end would Ms. Gailar discover that she had helped to create the world's first atomic bomb.
• Nuclear forces transform to meet requirements AFPN 09 Apr 2003 -- The Air Force is modernizing its strategic systems even as the nation reduces its nuclear stockpile, the director of Air Force nuclear operations said April 8.
• Cheney Says U.S. Will Break Alliance of Terrorists, Rogue States Washington File 09 Apr 2003 -- The alliance between terrorist networks seeking weapons of mass destruction and rogue states that have such weapons constitutes "the gravest current threat" to U.S. security, and therefore "a vital element" in America's antiterrorism strategy must be to break the alliance between these groups, Vice President Dick Cheney said April 9.
• START Aggregate Numbers of Strategic Offensive Arms US Dept. of State 01 Apr 2003 -- As of January 31, 2003, as compiled from individual data submissions of the Parties

  March

• Wolf Says U.S. Determined to Push Back Nuclear Proliferation Washington File 20 mar 2003 -- The United States is "determined to do what it takes to push back" the efforts of Iraq, Iran and Libya to achieve nuclear weapons capabilities, Assistant Secretary of State for Nonproliferation John Wolf told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee March 19.
• DoD Experts Testify on Much-Improved Troops' Chem-Bio Defense Gear AFPS 19 Mar 2003 - - American troops deployed overseas for the war against Iraq are much better equipped to deal with possible chemical or biological attacks than their Gulf War predecessors, DoD experts said on Capitol Hill today.
• Text: Greater Action Needed to Combat Infectious Disease, Report Finds Washington File 19 Mar 2003 -- The U. S. government should be doing more to prepare for outbreaks of infectious diseases, both domestically and internationally, according to a report issued March 18 by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
• "Success Hinges on Verifying," by Representative Duncan Hunter Washington File 17 Mar 2003 -- long shadow hangs over the horizon of Krasnoyarsk, a city in central Russia. It is a $10-million plant built to neutralize volatile missile fuel that American taxpayers funded but will never benefit from. It will never be operated because the Russians diverted the fuel to their space program before the plant was even completed. This giant, empty facility is another example of the problems plaguing efforts to control weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet Union.
• Abraham Warns of "Terrible Threat" from Radiological Weapons Washington File 12 Mar 2003 -- U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham told a Vienna conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency that Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDDs), or "dirty bombs" as they are sometimes called, pose "a terrible threat" that requires "a determined and comprehensive international response."
• RUSSIA / U-S / NUCLEAR VOA 12 Mar 2003 -- The United States today (Wednesday) signed an agreement with Russia to help close down Russia's last nuclear reactors producing weapons grade plutonium.
• New chemical warfare concepts debut at Beale ACCNS 11 Mar 2003 -- When Saddam Hussein's administration used chemical weapons against the Iranians and Kurds just before the Gulf War in 1991, more than 5,000 people died.
• Feinstein Says U.S. Must Not Sanction First Use of Nuclear Arms Washington File 11 Mar 2003 -- The United States should never sanction the first use of nuclear weapons because such an action could serve as a pretext for other nations or terrorist organizations to use such weapons against the United States, says a member of the Senate's Select Committee on Intelligence.
• IAEA / DIRTY BOMBS VOA 11 Mar 2003 -- The United States has announced a program to help poor countries keep track of radioactive material that could be used by terrorists to build bombs.
• Text: Energy's Abraham Discusses Future Fuels, Nuclear Safety with EC Washington File 07 Mar 2003 -- U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham and officials of the European Commission met in Brussels March 6 to discuss continued U.S.-EC cooperation in the research and development of clean energy systems and alternative fuels.
• U.S. Senate Unanimously Approves Moscow Treaty Washington File 07 Mar 2003 -- The U.S. Senate March 6 unanimously approved the Moscow Treaty, which will reduce U.S. and Russian long-range nuclear warheads by two-thirds by the year 2012.
• RUSSIA-US TREATY VOA 07 Mar 2003 -- Russia has welcomed the Senate's ratification of a Russian-American treaty calling for major reductions in both countries' nuclear-weapons stockpiles.
• U-S RUSSIA - TREATY VOA 06 Mar 2003 -- The U-S Senate late Thursday unanimously ratified (by a 95-zero vote) a treaty between the United States and Russia to reduce both countries' nuclear weapons stockpiles.
• Vershbow on Opportunities, Challenges in U.S.-Russian Relations Washington File 06 Mar 2003 -- "U.S.-Russian relations are increasingly guided by common interests, and the scope of our cooperation is expanding in ways that would have been inconceivable ten years ago," U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation Alexander Vershbow said February 27.
• "Moscow Treaty is Full of Holes," by Senator John Kerry Washington File 05 Mar 2003 -- This column by Senator John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), was published in The Boston Globe March 5: "President Bush claims that his Moscow Treaty "will liquidate the legacy of the Cold War" by eliminating thousands of nuclear arms left over from a bygone era when the United States and Russia faced each other across the nuclear divide. In reality, it does no such thing."
• Transcript: Rademaker Says Arms Control Remains Viable in the 21st Century Washington File 04 Mar 2003 -- leading U.S. arms control official says arms control remains viable in the 21st century and, as evidence, points to the 2002 U.S.-Russian Moscow Treaty that he says will produce "the largest reduction ever in deployed strategic nuclear warheads."

  February

• Briefing on Chemical and Biological Defense Readiness 03 Mar 2003 -- "Today we're going to host a -- what's called -- we call a roundtable, but it's an opportunity for some very trained and professional individuals to talk to you about Army training and readiness in nuclear, biological and chemical defense."
• U-S TROOPS / CHEM BIO DETECTION VOA 03 Mar 2003 -- U-S military analysts say the biggest risk American troops would face in a war against Saddam Hussein is the possibility that the Iraqi leader could use chemical and biological weapons. Chemical and biological detection teams are standing by in northern Kuwait for possible deployment to the battlefield.
• U.S. Forces Said Prepared to Defend Against Chem-Bio Weapons Washington File 03 Mar 2003 -- A U.S. Army official says Iraqi President Saddam Hussein may have "some grave reservations" about ordering his troops to use chemical and biological weapons against U.S. forces in the case of an Iraq war because the capability of his troops to defend against their use "is extremely limited."
• Defending Against Iraqi Chemical Biological Threats AFPS 03 Mar 2003 -- If Saddam Hussein decides to use chemical or biological weapons against U.S. forces, he may well kill or injure more of his own forces than Americans.

• Facts about smallpox and anthrax USMC News 21 Feb 2003 -- There have been many misconceptions and rumors that have been following the topic of smallpox and anthrax vaccinations recently.
• U.S. Committed to Multilateralism, Rademaker Says Washington File 13 Feb 2003 -- The United States is "profoundly multilateralist," and in a number of recent instances "we have chosen to provide the leadership -- the backbone -- required for multilateralism to succeed," a key State Department official says.
• Bush Promotes Hydrogen Cell, Other Energy Alternatives Washington File 06 Feb 2003 -- President Bush observed a demonstration of hydrogen fuel cell technology February 5 and urged the Congress to pass his plan calling for research into alternative energy sources that are cleaner, cheaper and will reduce U.S. reliance upon foreign oil.
• U.S. to Join Negotiations on International Fusion Energy Project Washington File 06 Feb 2003 -- The United States will join the negotiations for the construction and operation of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a major research project aimed at developing fusion energy – the energy that powers the sun and the stars – as a clean and sustainable energy source.
• Text: Senate Committee Gives OK to Moscow Treaty Washington File 05 Feb 2003 -- Following is a White House statement on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's approval of the Moscow Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions; the treaty still has to be considered by the full Senate
• National Security Highlighted in 2004 Energy Department Budget Washington File 05 Feb 2003 -- The Energy Department's fiscal year 2004 budget request reflects the growing importance of its contributions to national and energy security, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham says.

  January

• U-S / FUSION GROUP VOA 30 Jan 2003 -- The United States has rejoined an international project to develop a cheap, renewable form of safe nuclear energy called fusion. The partners are developing the world's first nuclear fusion reactor.
• World Community Should Stand Up to WMD Challenges, Wolf Says Washington File 30 Jan 2003 -- The international community needs to "stand resolutely" in the face of weapons proliferation challenges posed by countries such as Iraq and North Korea, a key U.S. arms control official says, and if it does, "a united world" will send a very powerful message
• Energy Secretary Calls Non-proliferation a Top U.S. Priority Washington File 30 Jan 2003 -- Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced January 29 that the Bush administration's fiscal year 2004 budget will include the largest request for non-proliferation programs in U.S. history
• Researchers Test "Killer" Enzyme as Anthrax Treatment AFPS 29 Jan 2003 -- An anthrax-killing enzyme now being tested by the Defense Department may one day be used as a medical treatment against the deadly bacteria, a DoD researcher said.
• PENTAGON / BIO-WEAPONS VOA 10 Jan 2003 -- The Pentagon has issued a statement asserting the military is prepared to protect its personnel from possible biological weapons attack
• U.S. Military Said Prepared Against Biological Weapon Threats Washington File 10 Jan 2003 -- The U.S. military has the means to protect its forces against the use of biological weapons, a key U.S. defense official says
• Text: New CIA Report Documents Weapons Proliferation Trends Washington File 08 Jan 2003 -- An unclassified report to the U.S. Congress by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) indicates that some key foreign weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missile programs are becoming more advanced and effective
• INDIA / U-S POLICY VOA 06 Jan 2003-- A senior U-S official visiting India says tackling terrorism, Iraq, and North Korea are the major challenges confronting the United States, and the international community