former Weapons Inspector, United Nations
Research Associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specializing in Russian and Chinese space systems; former UN weapons inspector
PROFILE
Geoffrey Forden
Guest
FROM Geoffrey Forden
To the Point
North Korean Missile Test Yesterday's nuclear test by North Korea got an angry response from the United Nations Security Council, even including China and Russia. After today's test of two short-range missiles, the US Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, called North Korea's actions "provocative and destabilizing" and "a threat to international peace and security," and said the Security Council would pursue " a new resolution , a strong resolution with teeth."
To the Point
Is It Possible to Ban Weapons in Space? Ronald Reagan's space-based missile-defense program died with the Cold War, but satellites are now key to America's military superiority, as our Army, Air Force and Navy -- even the Marine Corps -- rely on satellites for communication, surveillance and the targeting of "smart bombs." With space militarized, the big question now is whether it will be "weaponized." Today, at the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland, Russia and China proposed a treaty banning weapons in outer space. Three years ago, the US stood alone against 160 nations in opposition to such a treaty. Do Russia and China mean it? Is their real target the land-based missile defense proposed by President Bush? Would a race to put weapons in space be counter-productive for all the countries involved or is it inevitable?
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Left, Right & Center
President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.