Research Briefing
The IAEA is to release a report on the Iranian nuclear programme on 8 or 9 November. The report will give strong evidence suggesting that Iran is working on the components of a nuclear weapon, and there has been a flurry of speculation that Israel is preparing for military action against Iran.
Research Briefing
Military action to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1973 in Libya
Research Briefing
Shortly after taking office, US President Obama gave negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme one year to produce results, promising to push for a new set of United Nations sanctions if there was no progress. The E3+3 countries, France, Germany and the United Kingdom plus China, Russia and the United States reached agreement on a fourth round of sanctions in June 2010 This note looks at Iran’s nuclear programme, the effects of UN, US and EU sanctions and possible alternative approaches to the problem.
Research Briefing
The Independent Report into the Structure and Management of the MOD was published by the Defence Reform Unit on 27 June 2011. That report makes 53 recommendations on the reorganisation of the MOD.
Research Briefing
It is widely acknowledged that cyber attacks will increasingly be a key aspect of future warfare and organised crime. This note explains the increasing threat to national security posed by the new "front" of the cyber realm of networked, digital activities (often internet-based) and sets out the Government's response.
Research Briefing
This paper is now out-of-date and has been replaced by Commons Library Briefing CBP7353, Replacing the UK's Trident Nuclear Deterrent, 26 October 2015
Research Briefing
In 2009 two EU directives were adopted relating to the procurement of defence and security related goods and services, and the intra-EU transfer of defence goods. Both of those directives must be transposed into UK law in 2011. This note examines the background to these Directives, the specific provisions in each of them and current plans for transposition.
Research Briefing
UN Security Council Resolution 1973 adopted on 17 March 2011, established, among other things, a no-fly zone over Libya. This note provides a list of suggested reading material on the arguments for and against the establishment of a no fly zone over Libya and its likelihood of success.
Research Briefing
Both the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review were published in October 2010, five months after the Government took office. This paper examines the main priorities and recommendations set out in each of those documents
Research Briefing
The UK and France agreed a series of measures intended to enhance defence co-operation between both country's armed forces, including the signing of two new defence treaties, at the latest bilateral summit on 2 November 2010. The treaties have been labelled by a number of analysts as 'historic', in particular for the implications of co-operation in the nuclear sphere. This note provides a brief summary of historical UK-French defence co-operation, the main elements of the two new defence co-operation treaties and some initial reactions to the proposals that have been set out.
Research Briefing
Five months after entering office the Coalition Government published its Strategic Defence and Security Review on 19 October 2010. The following note is a guide to the principal recommendations and conclusions of that review which relate to the Armed forces specifically. It will be followed by a more detailed paper on the wider recommendations of the SDSR, and their implications, in the near future.
Research Briefing
This note is a short guide to the main recommendations of the defence reviews that have taken place since the end of the Second World War, and whether those recommendations subsequently lived up to events.
Research Briefing
Shortly after taking office, US President Obama gave negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme one year, promising to push for a new set of United Nations sanctions if there was no progress. After negotiating since the end of 2009, the E3+3 countries, France, Germany and the United Kingdom plus China Russia and the United States reached agreement on the fourth round of sanctions in June 2010 This note looks at Iran's nuclear programme and UN, US and EU sanctions.
Total results (page 25 of 28)