Michael Krepon’s Op-ed in Arms Control Wonk on the Ban Movement

Here’s what I like about the Ban Movement and the confab that has begun at the United Nations to draft a Convention to lend impetus to nuclear abolition.

I like that the Ban Movement has become an entryway for new commitment and energy to contest the existential threat that nuclear weapons pose. I like the vibrancy of this movement, which stands in stark contrast to the defenders of nuclear orthodoxy and those of us who believe in the cause but are cautious to a fault. The Ban Movement provides needed reminders that extremely bad news could be just around the corner, and that complacency invites worst cases. I like that the Ban-ners are impatient with the slow pace of nuclear disarmament and the arguments used to justify patience. I like calling out stodgy gatherings where diplomats receive paychecks for the rote repetition of arguments that block process and progress.

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