Author: Robert Burns
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Ukraine to give up nuclear material
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama optimistically opened a 47-nation nuclear summit Monday, boosted by Ukraine’s announcement that it will give up its weapons-grade uranium. More sobering: Obama’s counterterrorism chief pointedly warned that al-Qaida is vigorously pursuing material and expertise for a bomb. Ukraine’s decision dovetailed with Obama’s goal of securing all vulnerable nuclear materials worldwide…
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Obama calls nuclear strategy ‘significant step’
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday to constrain the use of the nation’s Cold War-era nuclear arsenal, part of a bold but politically risky move aimed at discouraging nuclear technology from spreading. Obama’s plan, a sharp departure from his predecessor’s policy, is a bid to play down the threat posed by nations like…
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Former Cold War foes to slash nukes
WASHINGTON — The U.S. and Russia sealed the first major nuclear weapons treaty in nearly two decades Friday, agreeing to slash the former Cold War rivals’ warhead arsenals by nearly one-third and talking hopefully of eventually ridding a fearful world of nuclear arms altogether. President Barack Obama said the pact was part of an…
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Accord reached to cut U.S.-Russia nukes
WASHINGTON — After long and trying negotiations, the U.S. and Russia have reached agreements for a historic new treaty to reduce the nuclear arsenals of former Cold War rivals, officials said Wednesday. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are to sign the pact in two weeks in Prague. The deal is seen…
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Air Force official: Nuclear problems were administrative
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Air Force on Thursday blamed administrative problems for the decision to remove an Air Force squadron overseeing an underground nuclear weapons cache, detailing another instance of questionable oversight even after the military took steps to correct similar issues. Ron Fry, spokesman for the Air Force Materiel Command, said the problems…
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Obama says U.S. developing new sanctions for Iran
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said Tuesday that Iran remains on an “unacceptable” path to nuclear weapons, despite its denials, and that the U.S. and like-minded countries will soon produce a set of punishing sanctions against the Islamic republic. Obama and other administration officials expressed disappointment in Iran’s latest move, a declaration that it will…
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Attacks show al-Qaida-inspired groups target West
WASHINGTON — From Detroit to Afghanistan, scattered terrorists inspired and equipped by al-Qaida have attacked recently with surprising speed and worldwide reach, challenging the U.S. strategy of slowly and deliberately targeting the terror group’s top leaders. Counterterror officials and other experts say the botched Christmas Day airliner bombing and the Dec. 30 assault at a…
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Clinton says U.S. still open to talks with Iran
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday the Obama administration remains open to negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program, despite intransigence from Tehran. Speaking to reporters at the State Department, Clinton said it is clear that administration efforts to engage Iran in talks to restrain its nuclear program in 2009 fell…
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Does U.S. know where bin Laden is? Depends who you ask
WASHINGTON — Osama bin Laden may be slipping back and forth from Pakistan to Afghanistan. Or the U.S. might not have a clue, more than eight years after the al-Qaida leader masterminded the terrorist attacks on America.Given a chance Sunday to clear away some of the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of the world’s most wanted…
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U.S., Russia have differing views on nuclear weapons
WASHINGTON – The new U.S.-Russia plan to negotiate deeper cuts in nuclear weapons fits well with each country’s shifting focus – the U.S. toward more reliance on precision conventional weapons and Russia toward more modern short-range nuclear weapons to offset U.S. conventional superiority.The “joint understanding” hailed Monday by President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry…