CTBT Verification Issues

09/27/2012
2012-09-26 By Richard Weitz The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) will have independent instruments for verifying and enforcing the treaty once it enters into force. These will supplement the verification provided by countries’ national technical means such as reconnaissance satellites as well as other intelligence collection systems. Much of the…

Providing Leadership in the Afghan War: In the Words of a USMC Hero

09/26/2012
2012-09-26 We have received the Command Guidance which was issued by Lt. Col. Raible during his time as CO of VMA-211. And we are reprinting it here. The words speak for themselves as to what time of man, leader and Marine he was. [caption id="attachment_45106" align="alignnone" width="198"] Landing at Camp…

Japanese Defense Procurement at a Turning Point

09/26/2012
2012-09-26 by Richard Weitz As Japan moves forward in shaping a 21st century defense strategy, defense procurement reform will become part of the picture. Current policies result in major Japan’s indigenously produced weapons systems, such as tanks and fighter aircraft, ranking among the most expensive in the world. The Japanese…

An Update on the Taliban Attack at Camp Bastion: UK Provided Perimeter Security

09/25/2012
Camp Bastion perimeter security was being provided by the UK the evening of the attack.  And the Taliban attack itself is detailed in a BBC story which is well worth reading. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19704620 According to this story: Bastion is one of the biggest camps in Afghanistan - its perimeter is 37km…

China and Conflict in the Pacific

09/25/2012
2012-09-25 Richard Weitz has brought the following interview to the attention of the Second Line of Defense team. In this interview, a Chinese expert underscores the potential impact of the first Chinese aircraft carrier on PRC operations in the Pacific. Naval expert Li Jie said that China's first aircraft carrier,…

The Challenge of Collaborative Defense Procurement: Japanese and American Perspectives

09/24/2012
2012-09-24 By Richard Weitz Despite recent efforts to enhance international cooperation on defense industrial issues, American companies that attempt to enter the Japanese defense market directly continue to complain about such recurring problems as bureaucratic impediments, language barriers, and the limited availability of post-sale repair and maintenance services. As a…

Revisiting the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty: An Agenda Item for the Next Administration

09/24/2012
2012-09-24 By Richard Weitz A major subject of discussion at the 2012 Moscow Nonproliferation Conference was the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Whether to ratify the treaty will also be an issue for the next U.S. presidential administration. The CTBT prohibits all nuclear explosions, whether for military or other purposes, in…