Ukraine Landmines, Kazakhstan Nuclear, AI Weapons, and More
The latest at Inkstick Media.
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The 75th North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summit convened earlier this summer among an ever-rising tide of transatlantic crises that continue to push and stress the alliance in ways not experienced since the Cold War. Yet, Ian Platz argues, as the alliance changes leadership, it needs to consider hard questions about its policies and practices.
Russia’s war on Ukraine has exacted a devastating toll on the country. One of the many risks Ukrainians now face is the threat of landmines. Since 2014, Théodore Donguy reports, landmines have killed more than 1,200 Ukrainians.
Meanwhile, the very nature of war is changing, in large part thanks to the breakneck pace of change artificial intelligence is introducing. In a new op-ed, William D. Hartung takes a hard look at the risks this new technology poses – and offers a sharp critique of those cheerleading for AI weaponry in one of the US’s most prominent newspapers.
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“In Kazakhstan, Division over the Future of Nuclear Power” by Maya Watson (Sept. 16)
The country faces routine power shortages and is home to aging Soviet-era nuclear infrastructure. As Kazakhstan continues to grapple with this legacy, the government and its people face a new nuclear dilemma: whether to build a nuclear power plant on Kazakhstan’s territory.
“It’s Time for NATO to Prioritize Reducing Civilian Harm” by Ian Platz (Sept. 17)
NATO’s policy has not received the scrutiny and clear-eyed discussions necessary, nor has the policy been updated to reflect the harsh realities of large-scale combat operations seen in Ukraine.
“The Korean Peninsula’s New Cold War Winter” by Bong-geun Jun (Sept. 18)
Amid today’s renewed great power competition, the Korean Peninsula has entered a new Cold War winter without having enjoyed the spring of the previous post-Cold War era. Now, the United States and South Korea should adjust their North Korea strategy and goals to enhance peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.
“The NYT Op-ed Page Just Published an AI Weapons Infomercial” William D. Hartung (Sept. 18)
The question of how far to go in developing and deploying autonomous weapons controlled by artificial intelligence deserves a serious debate. Unfortunately, the New York Times recently set back the cause by publishing an essay by Raj M. Shah and Christopher M. Kirchoff that hypes AI-driven systems while ignoring the risks.
“In Ukraine, the Long Road to Demining” by Théodore Donguy (Sept. 19)
By the end of 2023, Ukraine became one of the most mine-affected countries globally, surpassing Afghanistan. At the current rate, it will take 757 years for Ukraine to be free of the weapons.
“Deep Dive: How Sweden’s Far Right Focused on Local Mobilization” by Emily Tamkin (Sept. 20)
A new paper examines how Sweden's leading far-right party, shunned by many, sharpened its focus on local politics. The study used local-level data from the country’s 290 municipalities and combined it with survey data to find that the gradual establishment of radical right parties does indeed change voters’ policy preferences — and increases the salience of the issue of immigration.
From the desk of Patrick Strickland, managing editor of Inkstick Media.