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Ben Loehrke

@nonstrategic.bsky.social
1K followers 183 following 36 posts

Program Officer for Nuclear Weapons at Stanley Center for Peace and Security Ex-Twitter @nonstrategic stanleycenter.org

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Reposted by Ben Loehrke
Matt Korda @mattkorda.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
🚨 Attache ta tuque! @scientistsorg.bsky.social is hosting our 2nd Open Source Nuclear Analysis Bootcamp in partnership with @stanleycenter.org in Montréal on June 21-26! Come hang out and learn: • Geolocation • Missiles • FOIA • Imagery analysis • Poutine 🍟 • Bagels 🥯 C'est le fun! 👇
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
This is such a cool initiative. The nuclear policy field desperately needs more stories and creative approaches to them. Loved the writing for "Good Boy" and the clever bit behind "A Modest Briefing."
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Reposted by Ben Loehrke
Stephen Schwartz @atomicanalyst.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
Coming on January 6 to American Experience on PBS: “Bombshell: The Fight to Control the A-Bomb’s Story,” about how the US news media worked with the government to manipulate the official narrative about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—and how a few journalists refused to play along.
pbs.org
Bombshell: Trailer | American Experience | PBS
Watch a preview of Bombshell.
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Share with your networks! Accelerator Initiative participants bring so much expertise and creativity into this program and the events they travel to. We're delighted to create this career opportunity and welcome in the next cohort.
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Hans Kristensen @nukestrat.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
State Department deleted records about risk of inadvertent nuclear war from foreign relations publication - records that are still available in public. Trump fired independent committee tasked to oversee the records and seeks to replace it with loyalists. www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...
washingtonpost.com
Analysis | State Department deleted records about risk of inadvertent nuclear war
Key historical records about the incident during the Regan administration, known as the Able Archer 83 War Scare, were removed without explanation.
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
Deadline approaching. Apply today to take part in our upcoming oral history training workshop and interview project.
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
Excited to launch this project with @basicint.bsky.social!
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Reposted by Ben Loehrke
Hans Kristensen @nukestrat.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
Our new FAS Nuclear Notebook on Russian nuclear forces is now available. We estimate a stockpile of just over 4,300 warheads, modernizations, but also delays. Earlier STRATCOM projection of significant increase in tac nukes has not yet materialized. www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10....
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Rabia Akhtar @rabsaa.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
#NPTPrepcom #UN Join me on May 5th at the @nti.org's side event during the NPT Prep Com, where a great panel will be examining how crises, both natural and human-made, challenge the resilience of nuclear facilities. www.nti.org/events/stren...
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Stephen Schwartz @atomicanalyst.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
New from the Congressional Budget Office: “Projected Costs of U.S. Nuclear Forces, 2025 to 2034.” This edition finds total annual costs have jumped to $65.9 billion—up $13.5 billion or 26% since CBO’s 2023 report. Projected costs over the next decade are $946 billion, up $190 billion since 2023.
cbo.gov
Projected Costs of U.S. Nuclear Forces, 2025 to 2034
CBO estimates that plans for U.S. nuclear forces, as described in the fiscal year 2025 budget and supporting documents, would cost $946 billion over the 2025–2034 period, $190 billion more than CBO's ...
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
Back in grad school, Mac organized and had me manage the 2008 election predictions pool for the policy school. He and I legit won 1st and 2nd place. He taught me many lessons on policymaking. Including why we need fair and impartial election officials. Thanks, Mac. cissm.umd.edu/news/memoria...
cissm.umd.edu
In Memoriam: Mac Destler | Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland
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Reposted by Ben Loehrke
Kjølv Egeland @kjolvegeland.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
🚨New open access paper of mine on the connections between climate change and the politics of nuclear arms and disarmament. Thanks to @erc.europa.eu and @belfercenter.bsky.social ‘Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence’ program for the support. academic.oup.com/isr/article/...
academic.oup.com
Disentangling the Nexus of Nuclear Weapons and Climate Change—A Research Agenda
Abstract. Global warming and nuclear war are frequently described as the world's greatest threats. Both challenges could be understood as expressions of mo
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Justin Ling @justinling.ca · 06/03/2025
New from me: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is asking for Pentagon agencies that do work overseas to plan for cuts of up to 75%. These agencies say the cuts will "increase risk to US due to pathogen spread and easier adversary pathways to develop WMD." www.wired.com/story/pentag...
wired.com
Pentagon Cuts Threaten Programs That Secure Loose Nukes and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Documents obtained by WIRED show the US Department of Defense is considering cutting up to 75 percent of workers who stop the spread of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.
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Federation of American Scientists @scientistsorg.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
ATTENTION NUKE NERDS: We’re hosting a one-week, in-person OSINT bootcamp to teach a new generation of open-source nuke investigators. If you’re an early- to mid-career nuclear weapons analyst, this bootcamp is calling for you. Apply today ▶️ fas.org/osint-bootcamp-2025/
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Matt Korda @mattkorda.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
🚨 Nuke/OSINT nerds—we have an incredible new opportunity for you! This summer, @scientistsorg.bsky.social is hosting a first-of-its-kind Open Source Nuclear Analysis Bootcamp, where you will learn to analyze: - Satellite imagery - Missiles - Fuel cycle - FOIA requests - Much more! Apply by 23 Feb!
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
The Bulletin should bring in guest DJs. I need better lists of apocalypse bops and metal that really dooms.
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Alex Wellerstein @wellerstein.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
I am fairly pleased with this table that I cobbled together for a guest lecture next week on the different narratives about the use of the atomic bomb in World War II, and creating an example of ways in which they can be compared to each other in an overarching way.
A table titled "Atomic Bomb Narratives," which compares the properties of three different narratives about the use of the atomic bomb during World War II. Each narrative is a column, with each row corresponding to one of 7 different narrative properties: "nature of the 
use decision", "motivation(s) for use of bomb", "outcome
necessary for surrender?", "originators", "genre", and "message".

The first narrative is labeled "orthodox/the decision to use the bomb." Nature: "moral deliberation." Motivation: "avoid invasion." Output: "ended war, saved lives." Necessary: "yes." Originators: "government officials who made/dropped bomb." Genre: "heroic." Message: "the ends justify the means."

The second narrative is labeled "revisionist/atomic diplomacy." Nature: "diplomatic intrigue." Motivation: "flex on Soviets." Output: "began Cold War." Necessary: "no." Originators: "critics, Marxists." Genre: "tragic." Message: "don't trust the US government."

The third narrative is labeled "consensus/bureaucratic inertia." Nature: "accumulation of assumptions." Motivation: "multiple, overdetermined." Output: "contributed to end of war (with Soviet invasion)." Necessary: "maybe, maybe not." Originators: "academic historians." Genre: "comedic (chaotic)." Message: "history is really messy."
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Stanford CISAC @stanfordcisac.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
Tomorrow: "From Crust to Core: Analyzing North Korea’s Fissile Material and Strategic Resource Production" with Sulgiye Park RSVP here⤵️ cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/events/crust...
cisac.fsi.stanford.edu
From Crust to Core: Analyzing North Korea’s Fissile Material and Strategic
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Dr. Jacquelyn Schneider @jackieschneider.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
The Secret Pentagon War Game That ​Offers a Stark​ Warning for Our Times. Want to know more about the Proud Prophet wargame discussed in this weekends NY Times magazine? Link to the (heavily redacted) report as well as memos between CIA and DOD below. dnyuz.com/2024/12/02/t...
dnyuz.com
The Secret Pentagon War Game That ​Offers a Stark​ Warning for Our Times
Nuclear confrontation is fundamentally a form of communication — even after the first blows fall. Some in government see it
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Rhys Crilley @rhyscrilley.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Are you an early career scholar/practitioner interested in researching and having impact in nuclear arms control and disarmament? If so, apply now for the Atomic Anxiety in the New Nuclear Age 2025 Fellows Scheme. #NukeSky atomicanxiety.com/2024/11/14/2...
atomicanxiety.com
2025 Fellows Scheme Applications Now Open!
Are you interested in researching and having impact in nuclear arms control and disarmament? Do you want to join a community of scholars and practitioners exploring innovative ideas in the field of…
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Excited for this roundtable next week, co-hosted with the Project on Managing the Atom. Featuring remarks from Rabia Akhtar, @mbudjeryn.bsky.social , Ruhee Neog, Matt Bunn, and Eli Levite. If you're in the neighborhood, drop in. www.belfercenter.org/event/roundt...
belfercenter.org
Roundtable on Nuclear Security in Conflict Zones
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
Russia notified the U.S. of the missile launch via the nuclear risk reduction centers. The NNRRC is a low-key, essential success case in crisis prevention mechanisms. Generally not good when it’s part of breaking news.
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Geoff Brumfiel @gbrumfiel.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
So where do things stand on this whole question of whether Russia launched an ICBM against Ukraine or not? Here's a short 🧵 wrapping up a lot of good observations by experts, plus a few of my own....
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Debak Das @debak.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
Starter Pack for Nuclear Weapons History and Politics. Most of these folks are within the broader #NukeSky world. If I've missed you, please let me know if you would like to be added or suggest anyone else who should be on this! 👉 go.bsky.app/KDiibQK
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
To new followers and friends, Welcome to the good place. You can also follow our work via @stanleycenter.bsky.social .
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Sara Beth Marchert @sbmarchert.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
🚨 Job Alert 🚨 Stanford’s CISAC is hiring a Research Assistant for the 25/26 academic year for Scott Sagan. Application window closes December 1st. Amazing opportunity to work with one of the best academics in the nuclear & international security field. careersearch.stanford.edu/jobs/social-...
careersearch.stanford.edu
Social Science Research Assistant in Dean of Research, Stanford, California, United States
Professor Scott Sagan is seeking a tenacious research assistant with first-rate analytical capabilities and outstanding academic credentials to...
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
Observe the “such as.” (Ongoing thread) Authors talking emerging technologies and nuclear policy run into the problem of defining their terms and making it easier for readers to get. As a shortcut, we employ the “Such as.” It’s a rowdy collection of mostly unrelated technologies.
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Lindsay Rand @lrand11.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
Nuclear policy starter pack for folks coming from other socials. Will update regularly. go.bsky.app/BWGGzgX
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Eliana Johns @elianajjohns.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
Created a list of folks doing OSINT and satellite imagery analysis in the nukes space. Let me know who needs to be added! go.bsky.app/LrCCmHn
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Stanley Center for Peace and Security @stanleycenter.org · 16/07/2024
Understanding the India-Pakistan Non-Attack Agreement, the longest-lasting confidence-building measure in South Asia, can inform broader practices of nuclear risk reduction. Read the analysis by Rabia Akhtar & Ruhee Neog, published by the Stanley Center & @rusi.bsky.social: stnl.cr/naa #NukeSky
Analysis & New Insights. "Through the Sands of Time: The Enduring Legacy of the India-Pakistan Non-Attack Agreement" by Rabia Akhtar and Ruhee Neog. July 2024. Stanley Center for Peace and Security. RUSI.
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Stanley Center for Peace and Security @stanleycenter.org · 15/12/2023
The Stanley Center is accepting applications for the 2024-25 Accelerator Initiative! The Accelerator Initiative is a career development opportunity for early-career women and those who identify as nonbinary working in nuclear weapons policy. Apply by January 15, 2024: stnl.cr/accelerator #NukeSky
2024-25 Accelerator Initiative. A career development opportunity for early career women and those who identify as nonbinary working in nuclear weapons policy. Accepting applications through January 15, 2024.
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 13/12/2023
The NRRC is a low key but extremely important part of arms control and crisis communication infrastructure. Even more valuable when tensions rise and arms control prospects dim. Excellent overview of the NRRC from Mathias Hammer for TIME.
time.com
Inside the U.S. Arms Control Center in Contact With Russia
The NNRRC was set up to reduce chances of nuclear war. But as Russia pulls out of arms control deals, the risks grow greater.
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 02/12/2023
The theme song to “Pete & Pete” has a ballistic missile themed intro. When anyone asks how I got into this field, this song will be my answer now. youtu.be/qkGtGt1L6iU?...
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 02/11/2023
Listening to a briefing with stories from “Voices of Ukraine” by Anastasiia Nechytailo. Heroic and heartbreaking testimonies. Incredibly powerful work by WINS. www.wins.org/wins-launche...
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 01/11/2023
Listening to excellent stories in conversation on Operation Auburn Endeavor. With Petre Mamradze, Matt Bunn, and event co-organizer @nickolasroth.bsky.social. “Nuclear Adventures” event in Tbilisi with @stanleycenter.bsky.social .
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 30/10/2023
Excited to be in Tbilisi with colleagues and partners for “Nuclear Adventures,” our project @stanleycenter.bsky.social using storytelling for intergenerational knowledge transfer on risk reduction in practice. Many excellent stories to come. riskreduction.stanleycenter.org
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 19/10/2023
Welcome to the good place, Vin!
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 18/10/2023
Welcome to #Nukesky danzhukov.bsky.social !
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 18/10/2023
NRRCs have significantly contributed to reducing inadvertent nuclear risks. How can the centers do more? Excellent new paper from Rose Gottemoeller and Dan Zhukov. Via @stanleycenter.bsky.social and RUSI @matthewharries.bsky.social . #Nukesky
stanleycenter.org
Nuclear Risk Reduction Centers: A Stable Channel in Unstable Times | Stanley Center for Peace and Se...
Rose Gottemoeller and Daniil Zhukov explore the history of NRRCs in the United States and Russia, consider their performance, and present ideas for expanding on the NRRC concept to enhance risk reduct...
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Stanley Center for Peace and Security @stanleycenter.org · 16/10/2023
We're on Bluesky! For those new to us, the Stanley Center for Peace and Security partners with people and organizations to drive global progress on climate change, nuclear weapons, and mass violence and atrocities. Learn more: stanleycenter.org
stanleycenter.org
Stanley Center for Peace and Security | Inclusive dialogue and diverse perspectives create better so...
Stanley Center for Peace and Security brings together members of the global community to exchange ideas, foster innovation, and take collective action.
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 04/10/2023
Eager to dive into this novel. We spend so much time talking about the limits of rationality and what happens when technology escapes our ability to understand it. Good to see a Shelley-like treatment of von Neumann and our modern monsters.
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 13/09/2023
Updating the profile after (mostly) jumping ship from Twitter. Fun fact: Header image is of @nuclearanthro.bsky.social poking around the dial-a-yield controls on a B61.
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Ben Loehrke @nonstrategic.bsky.social · 13/09/2023
Nice job @nukestrat.bsky.social @mattkorda.bsky.social with the addition of methodology to the latest 🇵🇰 notebook. Helps reassure readers and other researchers of the credibility of these estimates. A small thing, but strengthens the notebooks even more. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
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