n the midst of this week’s high-profile political speakers on campus, a lesser-known one will speak today about an issue of substantial importance.
The University’s political science and humanities departments will welcome nuclear weapons expert Joseph Cirincione tonight at 7 p.m. in 180 PLC.

Cirincione said that although the excitement over the upcoming presidential race is important, the issue of nuclear weapons should be at the top of each student’s list of national priorities.
“There are only two things that could wipe out life as we know it: global warming and nuclear weapons, and neither one is getting better,” said Cirincione. “What looked like a problem of the past may become a present-day catastrophe.”
Cirincione is the senior vice president for the national security and international policy at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C. He served for eight years as the director for non-proliferation at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and worked for more than nine years on the professional staff of two House of Representatives committees. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and teaches at Georgetown University Graduate School of Foreign Service.
In the past few years, Cirincione has written extensively about a “new moment” for nuclear disarmament. Cirincione has written many articles for various political publications and made guest appearances on programs such as NPR and CNN. As a guest, he speaks about how current political changes create opportunities for the United States to lead the world toward the reduction and eventual elimination of nuclear weapons.
This is Cirincione’s second visit; he visited campus before the Iraq war in 2003 to explain nuclear inspections methods in Iraq, and also said he had no knowledge of any weapons of mass destruction. Today, he is back to discuss his book and explain what weapons have been found in Iran.
Political science assistant professor Jane Cramer said she invited Cirincione back because of his importance as a nuclear theorist and also because of his popularity on campus.
“I have hosted many speakers, but never with that response,” she said.
Cirincione popular reception could be related to the insider information Cirincione has access to, and American citizens’ lack of sources to turn to regarding international nuclear findings.
Cirincione’s presentation, “The Collapse of the Bush Doctrine: The Next Nuclear Strategy,” will touch on why Bush’s policies of using preemptive weapons of mass destruction are on their way out because of their cost and counter-productive nature. Aside from the collapse of the “Bush doctrine,” Cirincione says three other international trends will make disarmament possible: change in the global leadership by 2009, the emergence of Cold War veterans as supporters of nuclear disarmament, and the recognition by presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama that the issue of nuclear disarmament is an important one.
Cirincione is expected to discuss why the new administration should consider adopting nuclear policies that aim to abolish nuclear weapons. He will also focus on the actual capabilities of Iran and whether the nation is a legitimate concern. Finally, he will address the United States’ relations to Europe regarding the United States’ plan to place defense systems in Eastern Europe.
Political science student Sean Burt plans on attending the event and is looking forward to getting the inside story on Iran.
“If he has actual information about Iran it could help allay the fear of weapons of mass destruction and help prevent another Iraq,” Burt said. “It is something I should see.”
In his new book, “Bomb Scare: The History & Future of the Nuclear Weapons,” Cirincione presents a perspective on the developments of nuclear weaponry and optimistically projects that nuclear weaponry’s existence is drawing to a close.
Cirincione strongly believes that disarmament would be a positive solution to America’s problems with credibility, stature and national security.
“One hundred and eighty-three countries have signed the non-proliferation treaty and most countries mean it,” he said. “They want the United States to sign it and lead the movement.”
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