Top News: OPINION: To avoid a nuclear arms race with China, the U.S. needs Russia Bloomberg ANALYSIS: China’s silos: New intelligence, old problems War on the Rocks Raisi picks policy hawk for stalled nuclear talks: Iran snapshot Bloomberg United States OPINION: To avoid a nuclear arms race with China, the U.S. needs Russia BloombergAndreas Kluth 8/11/21 As Nixon went to China to triangulate against the Soviet Union, Biden should go to Moscow to do the same against Beijing. East Asia U.S. Strategic Command: China engaged in ‘breathtaking’ nuclear breakout The Washington Times8/12/21 China is engaged in what the U.S. Strategic Command calls “nuclear breakout” in developing large numbers of missiles, warheads and other strategic warfighting capabilities. “We are witnessing a strategic breakout by China,” Stratcom commander Adm. Charles Richard said Thursday. ANALYSIS: China’s silos: New intelligence, old problems War on the RocksJames Cameron 8/12/21 While the disclosure of missile silos in China by non-governmental analysts suggests a revolution in open source intelligence, the response to the revelations indicates that the debates and politics surrounding arms control are not so different from those of the Cold War. ANALYSIS: North Korea issues warning over South Korea-us joint military exercises The DiplomatMitch Chin 8/12/21 Most experts say that the government needs to conduct joint military exercises to prepare for possible attack by the North. However, some experts argue that Seoul and Washington need to provide scenarios in which they can consider halting the exercises in return for the North’s moves toward denuclearization. Middle East Raisi picks policy hawk for stalled nuclear talks: Iran snapshot Bloomberg8/12/21 Iran’s new president picked hawkish Foreign Ministry veteran Hossein Amirabdollahian on Wednesday to replace Mohammad Javad Zarif as the nation’s top diplomat, underscoring a power shift that’s complicating the resumption of nuclear talks with world powers. CIA chief’s visit: Not only Israel believes Iran won’t return to nuclear deal Haaretz8/12/21 Members of CIA Director Burns’ delegation told their Israeli counterparts that they have little faith in the talks being pushed by global superpowers to bring Iran back into the 2015 deal, Israeli officials report. ANALYSIS: How can Mossad slow down Iran’s nuke program? The Jerusalem PostYonah Jeremy Bob 8/12/21 It is unlikely – at this stage – that Jerusalem would employ an air strike as in 1981 against Iraq or 2007 against Syria. ANALYSIS: How Iran’s deadly tanker attack is linked to the nuclear deal Foreign PolicyRobert Satloff 8/11/21 Not responding to a drone attack off Oman could actually impair progress on a deal. Russia and Europe U.S., Russian defense chiefs talk by phone about ‘strategic stability’ Radio Free Europe8/11/21 U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, have spoken by telephone about ongoing “strategic stability” talks launched last month after a recent presidential summit. Berlin calls on Iran to resume nuclear talks Iran International8/11/21 German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas Wednesday urged Iran to return quickly to Vienna negotiations on reviving its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Discussions that began in April are on hold pending the transition in Tehran to the new administration of President Ebrahim Raisi (Raeesi).