Critical Issues Forum (CIF) 2008-2009

Benchmark II - Control of Nuclear Weapons and Current
Challenges
(Benchmark_II.pdf or Benchmark_II.doc)

Benchmark II is due no later than March 31 (for US schools)

In Benchmark I, you examined the objectives to gain a comprehensive understanding of nuclear weapons in the world today, their history, production, and countries that possess them and why.

In Benchmark II you will apply what you have already learned and will examine the objectives from the point of view of the scientific & environmental; social & cultural; economic; political & geopolitical domains to gain a comprehensive understanding of past and current efforts to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons including multilateral, bilateral and unilateral initiatives.

Objective 1:

Suggested Activities:

Note that these are suggested areas of research; they are not your tasks. You may choose to look at any, all, or none of these areas. The information you gain from doing research in these areas will help you to construct your project.

1. Learn about the articles of the Nuclear Non- proliferation Treaty (NPT) that promote nuclear disarmament. Be able to relate ways that the NPT promotes nuclear disarmament.

2. Compare and contrast other treaties and agreements related to nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament, e.g. CTBT, FMCT, nuclear free zones, and bilateral efforts such as those between the US and the Soviet Union/Russia. Have an idea when these treaties were adopted and ratified, which major countries have ratified them and which have not.

3. Understand the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) including its role and history.

4. Research which countries have violated the terms of nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament treaties and agreements and know the reasons these countries have given for the violations.

5. Learn about the laws and agencies that regulate nuclear weapons in your country and those of one other country. For example, in the US, one agency is a part of the Department of Energy. Demonstrate how these laws and agencies operate.

6. Learn about non-governmental organizations, and examine whether they have an impact on governments’ nuclear weapons policies.

Objective 2:

Your task is to clearly demonstrate, in a carefully constructed project, an understanding of some of the challenges to nuclear disarmament in the world today. Your project will provide some of the reasons why there are major differences between nations that have nuclear weapons and those that do not. The project must be your own work with clear and correct citations from any work borrowed from others. All work not your own, including photos, graphics, multimedia, charts, and graphs must be credited within your text and in a bibliography.

Suggested Activities

Note that these are suggested areas of research; they are not your tasks. You may choose to look at any, all, or none of these areas. The information you gain from doing research in these areas will help you to construct your project.

1. Research countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America that have demonstrated strong opinions on the topic of nuclear disarmament.

2. Research the special situation of Japan as the only country to have experienced the attacks of nuclear weapons.

3. Identify why some of these countries have disagreements with the current nuclear weapons nations.

4. Relate how nuclear proliferation in these areas would affect the stability of these regions.

Objective 3:

Your task is to clearly demonstrate, in a carefully constructed project, an understanding of some of the challenges to nuclear disarmament in the world today. Your project will include the issues of modernization of the weapons now possessed by nuclear powers, and the challenges of monitoring and verification. The project must be your own work with clear and correct citations from any work borrowed from others. All work not your own, including photos, graphics, multimedia, charts, and graphs must be credited within your text and in a bibliography.

Suggested Activities

Note that these are suggested areas of research; they are not your tasks. You may choose to look at any, all, or none of these areas. The information you gain from doing research in these areas will help you to construct your project.

1. Research which nations are, or want to, modernize or change the nuclear weapons in their arsenals. Learn the extent and reasons for these efforts.

2. Relate the research you have done on nuclear weapons treaties to these change and modernization efforts.

3. Learn how nuclear weapons are protected, controlled and accounted for. Consider:

• visual inspections
• detection
• remote sensing
• budgets and accounting
• other technological methods
• control of sales of intermediate technologies and
  equipment

4. Investigate how domestic controls in your country are supposed to maintain the safety and security of nuclear weapons.

5. Investigate how international controls (multilateral treaties) maintain the safety and security of nuclear weapons and weapons locations, or not.

6. Research technological or scientific methods that are, or can be, used to “hide” nuclear weapons or nuclear weapons work from accountability.

At the end of Benchmark II you will have created an original project, which demonstrates your knowledge and understanding of the objectives of this Benchmark. Your project will be your own work. When you refer to the work of others, you must have complete internal citations. You must have a bibliography of the resources you have cited. All work not your own, including photos, graphics, multimedia, charts, and graphs must be credited.

This benchmark is available as either a PDF or Word file.

About Benchmarks
Benchmark One
Benchmark Three

http://www.criticalissuesforum.org/bmk09_2.html
updated 09 February 2009