2005 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference

Hosted by
Sixty years after the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki either killed or maimed half a million people, military and civilian security experts concur that nuclear weapons are the most significant security issue of our time. This month, representatives of nearly 190 countries signed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty are convened at the United Nations in New York. Nuclear powers, including the US, are being pressed to reduce their arsenals while non-powers, such as Iran, are pushing for the right to develop nuclear energy. Are the US and Russia providing leadership toward nuclear disarmament? Is the non-proliferation treaty in trouble? As the firestorm of debate rages at the UN, guest host Diana Nyad speaks with Robert McNamara, Hans Blix, James Woolsey, some of the world's leading authorities on nuclear weapons. Making News: Rumsfeld Testifies as Commission Considers Base Closures The Secretary of Defense today is taking the first steps toward closure of 150 military installations across the United States. Donald Rumsfeld meets with the nine members of BRAC, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, to start the analysis of which bases will close and in what order. Vince Crawley, who covers the Pentagon for The Military Times, says the military has been pressing for these closures for a long time. Reporter's Notebook: Newsweek Backtracks on Koran Report Last week, violent protests erupted in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other Muslim countries over a Newsweek report that a US soldier in Guant-namo flushed pages of the sacred Koran down a toilet. Seventeen civilians died during the demonstrations. Now Newsweek apologizes, saying there were errors in the report. We get perspective on what went wrong from Tim Rutten of the Los Angeles Times and Tom Rosenstiel of the Project for Excellence in Journalism.
Guest host Diana Nyad, who was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2002 as the world record-holder for the longest swim without the aid of a cage -- from Bimini to Florida, 102.5 miles! -- is a business sports columnist for Marketplace, has served as senior sports correspondent for Fox News, and has hosted her own show on CNBC. She's also the author of three books, Other Shores, Basic Training and The Keyshawn Johnson Story.

Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC)

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

2005 Review Conference of the NPT

Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) I

Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organizaion

Blix on the 2005 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Newsweek editor's note on Koran report, Afghan protests

Newsweek article on Guantanamo abuses, Afghan riots

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney