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“For half a century, ACA has been providing the world … with advocacy, analysis, and awareness on some of the most critical topics of international peace and security, including on how to achieve our common, shared goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.”

– Izumi Nakamitsu

UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs

June 2, 2022

Arms Control NOW

Update: U.S.-Libya Arms Trade

Authored by on March 4, 2011

In a February 3 post, Arms Exporters React to Middle East Unrest , Arms Control Now noted that the United States had not sold military goods to Libya and had maintained a unilateral embargo on arms sales to Col. Gaddafi's regime which was last updated in 2007. This picture of the U.S.-Libyan trade relationship is overly simplistic. Beginning in 2006 and continuing through 2009, the United States began to relax direct commercial sales rules for transfers to Libya of controlled items on the U.S. Munitions List. The 2007 changes to the embargo included an exemption for "non-lethal defense...

ACA Examines Debate over Funding to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism

Authored by on March 2, 2011

In a recently released Issue Brief, ACA Scoville Fellow Rob Golan-Vilella looks at the impact of the ongoing battles over the federal budget on government programs aimed at preventing terrorists from obtaining nuclear weapons-usable materials. While the Obama administration last year called for increased spending in these areas, Rob reports that the newly elected House of Representatives is proposing to reduce funding for many of these programs. There is an overwhelming, bipartisan consensus among America's leaders that nuclear terrorism is one of the most dangerous threats facing the United...

Following the ATT debate

Authored by on March 1, 2011

By Jeff Abramson (blogging from the UN) Today is the second day of a week of discussion at the UN on creating a legally binding Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). For a number of years, the Arms Control Association has been making the case for why the ATT offers an unparalleled opportunity to improve U.S. and international security. A few weeks ago on this blog, the U.S. administration earned a B grade for its approach to the treaty. For those interested in tracking this week's discussions in New York, and the ongoing U.S. and international approach, there are a number of great resources available,...

Twelve Years Since Mine Ban Treaty Entry Into Force

Authored by on February 28, 2011

March 1 marks the 12th anniversary of the 1999 entry into force of the Mine Ban Treaty, which seeks to eliminate the use of one of the most destructive and indiscriminate weapons of war. It has been over a year since the Barack Obama administration began a comprehensive review of its landmines policy. During those months, U.S. and international leaders have made a clear case that now is the time for the United States to join with the global consensus and accede to the treaty. ACA's Deputy Director Jeff Abramson outlines the growing support and strong case for why the United States should the...

Arms Exporters React to Middle East Unrest

Authored by on February 23, 2011

By Xiaodon Liang Source: ABC News Arms suppliers have scrambled to readjust their export policies in the face of political unrest against client governments in the Middle East and North Africa. Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, the three largest exporters of arms within the European Union (EU), in addition to the United States, have been criticized for their sales of not only tools of armed conflict (tanks and combat aircraft) to governments hovering on the brink of instability but also for sales of tools of domestic repression: armored vehicles, small arms, tear gas, and riot...

Thinking Existentially about the Worldwide Threat

Authored by on February 18, 2011

Image Source: AP By Greg Thielmann A panel of scientists provided a useful update today on the latest thinking about the climatic consequences of nuclear weapons use. The presentation provided a grim reminder that the nuclear Sword of Damocles still hangs over all nations of the earth, nuclear and non-nuclear powers alike – notwithstanding the significant achievement of New START ratification by the United States and Russia. At the annual meeting in Washington of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Georgiy Stenchikov (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology),...

Ratifying the Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Protocols

Authored by on February 18, 2011

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller (Image Source: U.S. State Dept.) By Alfred Nurja In a little noted section of a speech before the Conference on Disarmament, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller reiterated a commitment made last year by Secretary Clinton to submit for "Senate advice and consent the ratification of protocols to the nuclear weapons-free zones established for Africa and South Pacific." It is indeed past time that the State Department submits these protocols and the U.S. Senate approves U.S. participation in these two important pillars of the...

After New START, What's Next? Remarks at 3rd Annual "Nuclear Deterrence Summit"

Authored by on February 17, 2011

Arms Control Association Executive Director Daryl G. Kimball discussed what's next after New START yesterday at the 3rd Annual "Nuclear Deterrence Summit," in Crystal City, VA. Below are his prepared remarks: After New START, What's Next? It's a pleasure and honor to appear once again at the Nuclear Deterrence Summit. Once again Ed Helminski and his Exchange Monitor Publications team have assembled an impressive lineup of speakers and we're glad to be able to be part of this important dialogue. The organizers have asked me to address what can and should be done to reduce nuclear dangers now...

Worldwide Threat Assessment – What's New and What Isn't?

Authored by on February 16, 2011

Robert Mueller, James Clapper, and Leon Panetta at House Permanent Select Committee Hearing (Image Source: Zimbio.com) By Greg Thielmann In spite of widespread rumors that the intelligence community's assessment of the Iranian nuclear threat had changed significantly in the last three years, two hearings held by the intelligence committees in recent days provided scant confirmation. Instead, terrorism and cyber threats dominated both the testimony of witnesses and questioning by Members of Congress. The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hosted the year's first comprehensive...

Midterm Grades on Obama Administration's Conventional Arms Control Record

Authored by on February 13, 2011

By Jeff Abramson During the week of Feb 7-11, 2011, we provided midterm grades on 5 aspects of the Obama administration's approach to conventional weapons arms control. Bookmark this post and come back over the next months and years to compare the grades you'd give to those earned at the two-year mark of the Obama administration. Click a topic below to go directly to the original post. Arms Trade Treaty (Feb 7) Arms Trade/Sales (Feb 8 ) Export Control Reform (Feb 9) Landmines (Feb 10) Indiscriminate Weapons, Especially Cluster Munitions (Feb 11) Grading Guide A: Global leader pressing for...