FAS | News | USA | 1998 |||| Index | Search |

December 1998 United States Special Weapons
Nuclear, Biological, Chemical and Missile
Proliferation News

• FACT SHEET: FOREIGN AFFAIRS REORGANIZATION USIA 30 December 1998 -- Today President Clinton sent to the Congress a plan and report on reorganization of the foreign affairs agencies, pursuant to the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998. The Act provides authority to reorganize the foreign affairs agencies and is based on the plan announced by the President on April 18, 1997.
• Richardson Certifies Safety, Security, Reliability of Nuclear Stockpile Without Nuclear Testing December 22, 1998 - Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson today certified to the President that the nuclear stockpile is safe, secure and reliable without underground nuclear testing and made two key national security decisions related to the stockpile. This is the third year that the Secretaries of Energy and Defense have been required to report to the President about any problems identified in the stockpile that would require a return to underground nuclear testing.
• NUKE TRITIUM DECISION Voice of America 22 December 1998 -- THE U-S GOVERNMENT SAYS IT WILL RESUME MAKING TRITIUM, IN A CIVILIAN-RUN NUCLEAR REACTOR. ARMS-CONTROL ADVOCATES, SUCH AS TOM COLLINA OF THE UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS, SAY USING A CIVILIAN REACTOR FOR MILITARY PURPOSES IS FOOLISH. COLLINA ARGUES MIXING CIVILIAN AND MILITARY NUCLEAR PROGRAMS WILL SET BACK U-S EFFORTS TO PERSUADE OTHER NATIONS TO FOREGO NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
• TREND ANALYSIS--U.S. IMAGE: DEMAND FOR 'UNDISTRACTED'--BUT RECEPTIVE--SUPERPOWER USIS Foreign Media Reaction Report - December 18, 1998 -- Over the last nine months, foreign analysts commenting on a variety of global events and issues--including political, military, diplomatic, economic and democracy matters, with all of their attendant complexities--seldom failed to factor into their assessments a broader conceptual quandary. Frequently, for the vast majority of opinionmakers, the underlying issue seemed to be what various facets of American foreign and domestic policies reveal about the intentions of the world's last remaining superpower, the U.S. The sheer range and volume of commentary and editorials where analysts singled out the U.S. position demonstrates the extent to which America has become involved in all aspects of post-Cold War world affairs.
• NORAD, Bliss troops tracking Santa's progress (Army News Service, Dec. 14, 1998) -- During a Department of Defense news briefing , Pentagon spokesman Kenneth H. Bacon announced that North American Aerospace Defense Command has released to the public, up-to-the-minute, detailed information about Santa Claus through its Web site at www.noradsanta.org.
• High-tech NORAD web site offers inside scoop on Santa 14 December 1998 Air Force Space Command Public Affairs -- By going to the NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) Tracks Santa web site at http://www.noradsanta.org/, your children will not only be able to track where Santa is every hour Christmas Eve, but can also learn more about the jolly ol' fella from now until then.
• Air Force changes way it does space business 14 December 1998 Air Force Space Command Public Affairs -- The Air Force is in the middle of a fundamental shift in the way it views its role in the nation's space business, said the acting secretary of the Air Force. "We are transitioning out of being a consumer of launch vehicles," said Whit Peters, acting secretary of the Air Force. "In fact, the very theory behind EELV (Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle) is to buy launch services, rather than buy launch vehicles.
• SECSTATE NAMES HALPERIN HEAD OF POLICY PLANNING STAFF USIA 07 December 1998 -- Secretary of State Albright has names Mort Halperin to be Director of the State Department Policy Planning Staff with James C. O'Brien as Principal Deputy Director of that staff.
• NORAD offers Santa tracking web site (AFPN) 4 Dec 1998 -- For the 44th year, North American Aerospace Defense Command is offering people a chance to track Santa Claus.

FAS | News | USA | 1998 |||| Index | Search |