Issue No. 967, 28 December 2011 Articles & Other Documents: Featured Article: U.S. Preparing for Tactical Nuclear Cuts in Future Arms Deal with Russia 1. Iran to Hold War Games in Int'l Waters 2. Iran Rejects US Allegation on Al-Qaeda Operative 3. MP Describes Navy Wargames as Serious Warning to Western Powers 4. 1st VP: No Single Drop of Oil Will Pass through Hormuz Strait if Iran Oil Is Banned 5. 'Speculation of Israel's Nuclear Arms Deters Iran' 6. Iran Warns of Closing Strategic Hormuz Oil Route 7. S. Korea, China to 'Swiftly Reinvigorate' Efforts to Resume Six-Party Talks 8. In New N.Korea Leader, Rare Exposure to World 9. N Korea Likely to Resume Nuclear Game in Spring of 2012: Experts 10. Who Is in Charge of N.Korea's Nuclear Weapons? 11. US Senator Fears N. Korea Might Try to Sell Nuke Materials 12. N.Korea Closer to Nuclear-Tipped Missile: U.S. Expert 13. Pakistani Government Defends Nuclear Program Against Rising Internal Criticism 14. Pakistan, India Come Closer on Nuclear CBMs 15. U.N. Urges Libya to Sell Off Cache of ‘Yellowcake’ Uranium 16. Russia Successfully Test Fires Bulava Missiles 17. Russia Reports 25,000 Undersea Radioactive Waste Sites 18. Medvedev: Test of Much-Heralded New Missile Done 19. Russia Test Launches Stiletto Missile 20. Optimism on Missile Defense Agreement Decreasing 21. U.S. Preparing for Tactical Nuclear Cuts in Future Arms Deal with Russia 22. U.S. Missile Shield Deal with Romania Takes Effect 23. Pentagon’s Conventional Prompt-Strike Effort Takes 2012 Funding Hit 24. US Reports Progress on Bioweapons Control 25. How China Thinks About the Future of Cyberspace Conflict 26. Iran’s Views of Its Nuclear Issue 27. Change in NK Policy Needed 28. A Pandora's Box in the Middle East 29. Should Scientists Create Deadly Viruses? Yes, Says Bioethicist 30. START May Be Sunk By a Nuclear Torpedo 31. ‘China More at Risk from US AMD Plans in Pacific’ Welcome to the CPC Outreach Journal. As part of USAF Counterproliferation Center’s mission to counter weapons of mass destruction through education and research, we’re providing our government and civilian community a source for timely counterproliferation information. This information includes articles, papers and other documents addressing issues pertinent to US military response options for dealing with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats and countermeasures. It’s our hope this information resource will help enhance your counterproliferation issue awareness. Established in 1998, the USAF/CPC provides education and research to present and future leaders of the Air Force, as well as to members of other branches of the armed services and Department of Defense. Our purpose is to help those agencies better prepare to counter the threat from weapons of mass destruction. Please feel free to visit our web site at http://cpc.au.af.mil/ for in-depth information and specific points of contact. The following articles, papers or documents do not necessarily reflect official endorsement of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or other US government agencies. Reproduction for private use or commercial gain is subject to original copyright restrictions. All rights are reserved. Issue No. 967, 28 December 2011 The following articles, papers or documents do not necessarily reflect official endorsement of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or other US government agencies. Reproduction for private use or commercial gain is subject to original copyright restrictions. All rights are reserved. United States Air Force Counterproliferation Research & Education | Maxwell AFB, Montgomery AL Phone: 334.953.7538 | Fax: 334.953.7530 China Daily – China Iran to Hold War Games in Int'l Waters December 23, 2011 (Xinhua) TEHRAN - Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari on Thursday announced the upcoming launch of ten-day massive naval exercises in the international waters, the local satellite Press TV reported. Sayyari said at a press conference on Thursday that the naval maneuvers dubbed Velayat 90 will start on Saturday and will cover an area of 2,000 (1,250-mile) km stretching from the east of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Aden, the report said. This is the first time that Iran's Navy carries out naval drills in such a vast area, he was quoted as saying. He said that the exercises will manifest Iran's military prowess and defense capabilities in the international waters, convey a message of peace and friendship to regional countries and test the newest military equipment among other objectives, said the report. He added that the newest missile systems and torpedoes will be employed in the maneuvers, adding that the most recent tactics used in subsurface battles will also be demonstrated. Iranian destroyers, missile-launching vessels, logistic vessels, drones and coastal missiles will also be tested, said the Iranian commander, according to the report. Closing Strait of Hurmoz is under full control of Iran, he said but did not mention about the exercise to close it, according to the state IRIB TV website. Earlier this month, Parviz Sorouri, a member of the Iranian Majlis (parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said that Iran plans to practice its ability to close the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important passages for exports of crude and oil products from littoral states of Persian Gulf. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said later that closing the Strait of Hormuz is not on Iran's agenda. As Iran has announced it several times, the issue of closing the Strait of Hormuz is not on Iran's agenda since Iran believes in upholding the stability and peace of the region," said Mehmanparast. http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2011-12/23/content_14312353.htm (Return to Articles and Documents List) Arab News – Saudi Arabia Iran Rejects US Allegation on Al-Qaeda Operative By MITRA AMIRI, Reuters December 25, 2011 TEHRAN: Iran rejected as “completely baseless” US allegations that it was harboring an Al-Qaeda member who is accused of operating as a facilitator and financier for the group from the Islamic Republic, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Sunday. The United States announced on Thursday that it was establishing a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to Syrian-born Yasin Al-Suri, who is also known as Ezedin Abdel Aziz Khalil. “The American government’s recent unwise scenario regarding Iran’s involvement in the September 11, 2001 attacks and the presence of an Al-Qaeda member in Iran is completely baseless,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Sunday, according to Fars. Issue No. 967, 28 December 2011 United States Air Force Counterproliferation Research & Education | Maxwell AFB, Montgomery AL Phone: 334.953.7538 | Fax: 334.953.7530 Al-Suri has been accused of helping move money and recruits through Iran to Al-Qaeda leaders in neighboring countries under an agreement between the group and the Iranian government, Senior State Department official Robert Hartung has said. The $10 million bounty was the first offered for an Al-Qaeda financier and is aimed at disrupting a financial network that has operated from within Iran’s borders since 2005, the Treasury Department said. On Friday a federal district court in Manhattan ruled that Iran and Hezbollah materially and directly supported Al- Qaeda in the September 11, 2001 attacks and are legally responsible for damages to hundreds of family members of 9/11 victims who are plaintiffs in the case. “The world should consider the consequences of such irresponsible behavior by American officials ... It is also necessary that the international community shows its deep concerns to the American government,” Mehmanparast said. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called the September 11 attacks on the United States a “big fabrication” by Washington that was used to justify the US war on terrorism. The United States and its Western allies have been locked in a standoff with Iran over its disputed nuclear program, which Washington believes is aimed at producing nuclear weapons but which Tehran says is solely for peaceful purposes. http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article553344.ece (Return to Articles and Documents List) FARS News Agency – Iran Monday, December 26, 2011 MP Describes Navy Wargames as Serious Warning to Western Powers TEHRAN (FNA) - The ongoing naval wargames in Iran's Southern waters should be seen as a serious warning to the West about the closure of the Strait of Hormoz, a senior Iranian lawmaker said on Monday. "These wargames are a warning to the western countries about the closure of the Strait of Hormoz," member of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Zohreh Elahian told FNA on Monday. "If any threat is posed to Iran, the Islamic Republic is capable of closing the Strait of Hormoz," the senior lawmaker reiterated. "The naval drills in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman display the power and domination of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Navy over the regional waters," she added. "The wargames are related to the power of deterrence, dominance and superiority over the region and are a symbol of the defensive and deterrence power of the Islamic Republic ruling system and (Iranian) Armed Forces," the legislator noted. Iran's naval forces started massive wargames in international waters in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean on Saturday. The naval maneuvers dubbed Velayat 90 are due to cover an area stretching from the East of the Strait of Hormoz in the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Aden for 10 days. During the wargames, the Iranian naval forces will display their latest equipment, achievement and tactics.