Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Aug 5

80 years into the nuclear age and "arms control has all but collapsed while reliable and trusted channels of communication between major nuclear adversaries are virtually non-existent." We're going to need more than luck to survive another 80 years.
theconversation.com/fear-built-t...

Fear built the nuclear bomb – only trust can ensure it is never used again

If the nuclear bomb was born out of fear, then ensuring it is never used again requires replacing fear with trust.

theconversation.com

3

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jul 1

Great piece by @olamidediy.bsky.social on the implications for the non-proliferation regime of the latest attempt at preventive counterproliferation strikes.

www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...

The attacks on Iran didn’t achieve anything more than harm nonproliferation

The conclusion many states may now draw is that complying with the NPT is no longer a guarantee of nuclear security.

www.aljazeera.com

1 3

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jun 30

After being repeatedly asked about this for the better part of a fortnight, I figured I'd just write it up in one spot. It's not an endorsement of nuclear deterrence, nor a nuclear-armed Iran. But could we live with that outcome? Yep. theconversation.com/could-we-liv...

Could we live with a nuclear-armed Iran? Reluctantly, yes

Both Israel and the US claim a nuclear-armed Iran would pose an existential threat. It wouldn’t. Here’s why.

theconversation.com

2 2

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jun 18

For Australia-based followers, I joined ‪@patskarvelas.bsky.social‬ on Afternoon Briefing yesterday (17/6) to discuss the Israeli strikes against Iran and the likelihood of this counter-proliferation strike leading to the much wider goal of regime change in Tehran: iview.abc.net.au/show/afterno...

Afternoon Briefing

Your daily download of everything you need to know about politics, national and global affairs. Patricia Karvelas asks politicians the tough questions and talks to key players and experts on the issue...

iview.abc.net.au

1

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jun 18

I'm the guest for today's episode of the ABC News Daily podcast with Samantha Hawley on "Was Iran Really About to Build a Nuclear Bomb?": www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Was Iran really about to build a nuclear bomb? - ABC listen

Israel has been ramping up pressure on Donald Trump for the US to join its strikes on Iran. It’s believed that only the US has the bombs that could destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities hidden deep under...

www.abc.net.au

1 1

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jun 18

My explainer on the Israeli strikes against Iran (including implications for the NPT and wider nonproliferation regime) for @theconversation.com theconversation.com/why-is-there...

Why is there so much concern over Iran’s nuclear program? And where could it go from here?

The latest attacks have come amid growing concern over Iran’s nuclear program, prompting questions over what this means for the global non-proliferation regime.

theconversation.com

1

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jun 12

New ep on "Who Will Shape the Third Nuclear Era?" of the @warontherocks.bsky.social Thinking the Unthinkable pod w/ @nktpnd.bsky.social chatting to yours truly. warontherocks.com/episode/thin...

Who Will Shape the Third Nuclear Era? – War on the Rocks

warontherocks.com

2 5

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Apr 10

Well, look what arrived in the post today - my Third Nuclear Age project merch! @erc.europa.eu It's been an absolute pleasure to have been part of the project since it started. Check out www.thethirdnuclearage.com

7

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Mar 20

Dorison & Lauffray's Long John Silver is amazing. www.cinebook.co.uk/long-john-si...

www.cinebook.co.uk

1 1

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Mar 19

Really glad to have an article in this excellent special issue. Mine, with @andrewfutter.bsky.social, is on "The Return of Nuclear Great Power Politics (or why we stopped worrying about terrorists and the bomb)" www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

5 8

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Feb 19

Wa hey! Congrats mate. Will be terrific to have you back in Oz.

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Feb 17

Both a very narrow reading of 19th century great power politics and a very generous reading of the Trump Admin's foreign policy.

The Diplomat @thediplomat.com · Feb 17

A Trumpian foreign policy would be a return to the great power competition and balance of power that prevailed between states in the 19th century. That might not be entirely bad for India.

India and the New Trumpian World Order

The new world order would not disadvantage India. On the contrary, it would do well in a Trumpian world.

buff.ly

1

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Feb 17

Good piece on the likelihood of a return to great power tacit collusion. However, big difference b/n Ukraine & Taiwan on the one hand and Greenland on the other given what a sphere in each does for Russia, China & the US. Greenland is the odd one out. www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianou...

A New Trend in Geopolitics? Great Power Coordination in the Expansion of Spheres of Influence - Australian Institute of International Affairs

www.internationalaffairs.org.au

1

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Feb 10

Excellent summary both of where things are at on strategic arms control and how we got here (via @ucsusa.bsky.social): blog.ucsusa.org/tara-drozden...

The Clock Is Ticking on New START Expiration—and a Nuclear Arms Race

Allowing the New START treaty between Russia and the United States to expire in 2026 could lead to an unconstrained race for nuclear weapons around the world.

blog.ucsusa.org

1 2

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jan 30

One of the more significant military developments in Asia over the last year.

The Diplomat @thediplomat.com · Jan 30

Philippine soldiers will train on the U.S. military’s intermediate-range Typhon missile system during army drills next month.

Philippine Troops to Train With US Missile System Next Month, Army Says

The Typhon intermediate-range missile system has been present in the country since join military drills in April 2024.

buff.ly

1

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jan 28

It won't, but should be a lesson to all the advocates of "limited" missile defence (and there was a LOT of them) re: wishful thinking. Eg. from @washingtonpost.com @brookings.edu @carnegieendowment.org @csis.org tinyurl.com/bdfn2xm6 tinyurl.com/3xz3u3h9 tinyurl.com/yu3tvyhw tinyurl.com/44j5kucj 4/4

Opinion | A LOOK AT . . . Missile Defense

tinyurl.com

1

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jan 28

There is absolutely nothing limited about US missile defence plans now and it is openly aimed at 'peers' and 'near-peers' as well as 'rogues.' It is exactly why some of us have said for years that any BMD (even "limited" and only aimed at "rogues") was a worse option than none. 3/4

1 1

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jan 28

The official US position on this from Clinton onwards just never got to grips with the fact that they couldn't guarantee that it would only ever be limited and aimed at (what the US would unilaterally decide are) "rogue" states. The 2010 response to Russian concerns illustrated this perfectly. 2/4

1 1

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jan 28

Trump's #IronDome executive order on missile defence proves what those of us who have consistently opposed any missile defence always knew: That promises of a "limited" system were just that - promises. Stability between nuclear-armed great powers can never rest only on unilateral promises. 1/4

1 1

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jan 24

No idea who the old guy on the right is.

2

Ben Zala @drbeezee.bsky.social · Jan 22

Kicking off using this app w/ a new book! The Global Third Nuclear Age is now out & open access. Co-authored w/ a great team (inc. @andrewfutter.bsky.social @olamidediy.bsky.social @ludovicacast.bsky.social @cameronhunter.bsky.social), w/ a forward by Paul Bracken.
www.routledge.com/The-Global-T...

The Global Third Nuclear Age: Clashing Visions for a New Era in International Politics

This book provides an in-depth examination of the technological, geopolitical and normative pressures driving the world into a new, more complex and potentially more dangerous Third Nuclear Age. By ad...

www.routledge.com

1 5 17