The U.S. Air Force last month issued revised doctrine on “nuclear operations,” incorporating the conclusions of the 2001 Nuclear Posture Review. But it is nearly obsolete upon release, since a new Nuclear Posture Review that will presumably lead to a revised policy is already underway. The new Air Force doctrine may be of interest nevertheless, since it presents an Air Force perspective on enduring issues of nuclear deterrence and nuclear command and control in easily understandable, mostly jargon-free terms. See “Nuclear Operations” (pdf), Air Force Doctrine Document 2-12, May 7, 2009.
The text of a proposed agreement (pdf) between the United States and the United Arab Emirates concerning cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy was transmitted by the White House to Congress last month, along with assorted supporting materials.
January saw us watching whether the government would fund science. February has been about how that funding will be distributed, regulated, and contested.
This rule gives agencies significantly more authority over certain career policy roles. Whether that authority improves accountability or creates new risks depends almost entirely on how agencies interrupt and apply it.
Our environmental system was built for 1970s-era pollution control, but today it needs stable, integrated, multi-level governance that can make tradeoffs, share and use evidence, and deliver infrastructure while demonstrating that improved trust and participation are essential to future progress.
Durable and legitimate climate action requires a government capable of clearly weighting, explaining, and managing cost tradeoffs to the widest away of audiences, which in turn requires strong technocratic competency.