Nine countries now possess nuclear weapons and we have just seen the start of a new war in the Middle East over one more nation supposedly trying to acquire them. While we consider the dangers of such weapons and their capacity to cause massive destruction, we often overlook the risks associated with what still passes for “peaceful” nuclear power. With that in mind, let me revisit a moment when…
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Polymarket archived a market on whether a nuclear bomb would be detonated by the end of this year, just days after the betting company faced criticism for allowing users to gamble on the commencement of the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran. Journalist David Sirota posted about the existence of the market on social media on Tuesday evening. The market allowed users to bet on whether a nuclear…
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The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is now in its fifth day. Following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Israel has made it clear that it intends to target any official successors. Observers also warn that Israel could soon deploy its “Dahiya doctrine,” a military strategy it first developed in Lebanon that involves carpet-bombing densely populated residential areas. Despite U.S.
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The U.S. embassy in Israel told its staff on Friday to leave the country if they wish to do so, and quickly. The instruction comes as the U.S. has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran — despite reports finding that the Trump administration’s accusations against the country are unsupported by U.S. intelligence. In a staff-wide email, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee instructed employees that…
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President Donald Trump continued to push for war with Iran during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, falsely asserting that Iranian officials have not disavowed nuclear weapons development. Trump repeated the claim that his administration “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program, adding that Iranian officials are “terrible people” who are “starting it all over.
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For more than 70 years, the United States has practiced what it calls extended deterrence, which includes the so-called “nuclear umbrella” for its NATO allies in Europe. Countries under the umbrella agree not to develop their own nuclear weapons with the understanding that the U.S. could use its nuclear weapons on their behalf in certain circumstances. In addition to some 80,000 U.S.
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