Name: Ajev Vachher
Social Justice Group: 2022-2023, Nuclear Weapons/Nuclear Proliferation
Date of Fieldwork: February 9, 2023
Name of Organization and person (people) with whom you met and their title(s):Jamie Kwong; Nuclear Policy Program
Type of Fieldwork: Interview
What I did and what I learned about my topic, activism, social justice work or civil and human rights work from this fieldwork?:
On Thursday, my group went on a 20 minute zoom call with Nuclear Expert Jamie Kwong. Most of our questions were based on her Carnegie Endowment Description, so she was able to go in depth in every question we asked. Having previously interviewed another member of the Carnegie Endowment’s Nuclear Policy Program, James Acton, we were interested on what separate topics of nuclear weapons they covered.
The Western public is allowed to be vocal because it is a democracy. Russia has succeeded in drowning any attempts of a revolt against its governmental structure and it functions as an authorization state. If Putin does frighten the Western public, that could influence their leaders and the credibility of Putin’s nuclear threat. The likelihood of a Western urge for their leaders to take measures to cease the aid to Ukraine if Russia uses nukes could factor in Putin’s decision making.
Another section of her expertise was the p5 process. It is recognized within the Non-Proliferation Treaty. It is the largest nuclear treaty in known existence. It involves 195 member states which is virtually universal and consists of the Grand Bargain(humanitarian aid). All the nations in the world that have nuclear arsenals ranging from the USSR to France agreed to work towards an eventual global elimination of nuclear weapons. The states that did not possess any nuclear weapons agreed to never pursue the creation of a nuke in exchange for assistance with their own nuclear energy programs. The only 5 states in the world with nuclear weapons at the time(Britain, America, France, China, Russia/USSR) are recognized as the p5, and are permanent members in the Security Council. The process which was initiated by the United Kingdom, was done due to an anger in which non-nuclear states were angry that the countries containing nuclear weapons didn’t work together for nuclear disarmament. It has been going on for over a decade now. They meet annually, with the United States as the chair. The meetings have been challenged by Russia’s war in Ukraine, so at a time like this, it is essential the meetings cover how the 5 states think of nuclear weapons and how they can use them in a proper fashion.
Jamie went on to say that the U.S.’s public opinion towards N.K. has varied over time. There have been spikes on concern levels on different North Korean activities. Not just America, but the entire Western public was concerned by missile testing and military exercising done by North Korea in the fall. The Chicago Council annual foreign policy survey found that while the American public is concerned about North Korea, they want the Biden administration to focus on other foreign policies. Perhaps the threat of Russia in Ukraine and China on Taiwan have overshadowed a tyrannical run countries threats.
Onto the topic of a direct nuclear blast, there is radiation after the detonation of the bomb. From the perspective on the well being of the global environment, there are concerns on nuclear waste impacting the environment around it. But direct influence from global warming can also influence a nuclear operation. The Submarine Bases are faced with the issue of flooding and rising sea levels. There can also be personnel impacts, such as a global warming caused flood impacting an active personnel. Systems that were designed to last for decades are impacted by unexpected climate changes.
After a nuclear bomb is detonated, within the area of the direct blast there will be utter destruction. Buildings will have been leveled and most people within that area will be dead. As you work past the blast impact and towards the shockwave impact, there will be debris, fires, people will be burned and have scars. That is the radiation effect. The long-term effects depend on which blast radius you’re in and how you’re exposure to the radiation. Radiation poison will result in your death a few days after the initial exposure. Victims from the nuclear tests in the Cold War era have long term effects such as cancer later on in life or children born from radiation victims having deformities.
The TPNW, a recent treaty formulated in 2017 is the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. A group of states were frustrated with the lack of progress the p5 had on their promise of nuclear disarmament. The nations negotiated a treaty that prohibits nuclear weapons related activity with a goal for a widespread norm that nuclear weapons are not good. No nuclear member state is a member of the treaty. The treaty has the desire to spread a normative impact that nuclear weapons should be eradicated from the globe.
After 20 or so minutes of responses to our questions, Jamie ended it off on a final note. “Young people need to be thinking about nuclear weapons and their impacts and how they can shape these discussions”.
