Mackenzie Knight
@m_knight7
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Senior Research Associate @scientistsorg Nuke team | Former: @ScovillePF , @MIIS NPTS '23 | IU ‘21 | Views are my own
Joined July 2020
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My newest piece in
@RStatecraft
reveals the decades of pork barrel politics behind the US ICBM force.
Senators from missile states have played an outsized role in shaping nuclear force structure over military officials.
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The sexism, racism, condescension, + other judgmental reactions to this video are disgusting. We also NEED to have a conversation about what constitutes “expertise” given the elitism I’m seeing in the replies.
Keep crushin’ it & spreading the good word, my friend
@Emma_Pike_
❤️
“A world without nuclear weapons is totally possible,” says
@Emma_Pike_
, a nuclear disarmament consultant and activist. She shared her thoughts with Times Opinion on TikTok:
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Today is my last day as a
@ScovillePF
with
@scientistsorg
. The last 9 months have been full of incredible experiences, and I can't believe it's already over!
But I can't WAIT to have so many more amazing experiences with this team as a program associate starting next week 🤩
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Honored to be profiled for
@NTI_WMD
's new Young Voices series - and always a pleasure to chat with my friend
@JupiterKHuang
😊
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!! I’ve refrained from tweeting re this debate bc I anticipated mid- to late-career experts would be in my replies with condescending takes about how silly and inexperienced my opinion was. But I don’t want to be diminished, and I am an expert, too. So here goes. 🧵
The deterrence debacle happening right now is a perfect example of why young professionals don’t want to work in this field! You diminish our passion and excitement to share our evolving ideas and beliefs. And then think we want to come work for you for $60k. It’s a joke.
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If you’re in DC and work in the nuke field/nuke adjacent fields or your friends do and you want to socialize with them come to this month’s installment of Gin & Atomics to hang out! W/ special guest/speaker Kate Kohn from
@scientistsorg
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The cat’s out of the bag! So so excited and grateful to start my
@ScovillePF
experience in just a few weeks at
@FAScientists
working with the incredible
@nukestrat
@mattkorda
and
@elianajjohns
😊
Congrats! Mackenzie Knight, BA'21 Middle Eastern Lang. & Cultures, Policy & Intelligence Analysis, is a fall 2023 Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellow at the Federation of American Scientists.
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I need one million more of this style video
No time to read the full Nuclear Notebook?
@mattkorda
breaks it down for you in under 20 seconds.
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My latest piece, for
@TheHillOpinion
@thehill
argues that $130 billion for the unnecessary and flawed Sentinel ICBM program is too much. ⬇️⬇️
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In a letter to the Air Force about the Sentinel ICBM overrun, Sen. Warren and Rep. Garamendi cite my piece for
@thehill
and my piece for
@scientistsorg
Thank you to you both for writing this important letter!
The new Sentinel nuclear missile program is 2 years behind schedule and already costs billions more than expected.
The Pentagon misled Congress and owes the American people an explanation.
@RepGaramendi
and I are pressing for answers.
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No guys I’m actually going crazy reading this “meme” pls send help
None of these people exist none of these things have ever happened and none of them apply to the tweet he quoted pls someone tell me what’s happening this can’t be real
Didn't realize I would be able to use this meme unironically so soon.
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The new SAR for the Sentinel ICBM is out, and it looks like the unofficial estimates for total program cost that have been made since news of the Nunn-McCurdy breach were right on the money (pun intended)! The report confirms a total cost of $130 billion.
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Check out my latest piece for
@inkstickmedia
- what to know about the Manhattan Project that Christopher Nolan is likely to leave out of Oppenheimer, from uranium miners to downwinders to government conspiracy and secrecy:
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🚨Bloomberg breaks a new cost projection for the Sentinel ICBM program - now projected to be 81% higher than 2020 forecast.
An anonymous source says costs may increase to $214 million *per missile*.
SecDef Austin expected to certify the program’s continuation next week.
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Hey me too
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Idk I just don’t love the framing of this. There is very high demand from young people trying to get jobs in this field. There just aren’t enough, and they don’t pay enough. (Also, maybe we just don’t want to work at RAND)
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🚨Analysis of satellite imagery and other open sources reveals construction at Barksdale AFB is of a new nuclear weapons facility.
Read more in my blog for
@scientistsorg
below ⬇️⬇️
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So grateful for the experience of being co-chair of the working group on the role of civil society! Proud of the contribution our team made to this phenomenal anthology 👏 thank you to
@anahita_parsa
and the rest of the
@BASIC_int
team for the opportunity
🆕 The latest
@EVN_nuclear
anthology, edited by BASIC Policy Fellow
@anahita_parsa
, presents policy papers written by five EVN Working Groups which explore the humanitarian impacts agenda within the context of the NPT, and efforts to strengthen it.
⬇️
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Today is the anniversary of the first nuclear test explosion - the Trinity Test - which was conducted in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Read my
@inkstickmedia
piece for some info on Downwinders, those impacted by the fallout of the test still today.
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If you’re interested in how deterrence relates to privilege, racism, and white supremacy, please read my FIRST EVER published piece here 😊
"Calling all deterrence naysayers! Have you been patronized by a man trying to explain deterrence or mutually assured destruction to you?"
@m_knight7
explains:
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Listen to me be not surprised by the Pentagon spending too much money by checking out this podcast episode!
In a shocking twist, a Pentagon program is over budget. The Sentinel ICBM program is envisioned as a keystone of the US nuclear triad, but why do we need 400 new missiles?
@fmkaplan
and Mackenzie Knight join
@JBWolfsthal
and
@heatherwilly
to discuss.
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“For young people today, they [nukes] are a bit of a yawn… they are not at the cutting-edge of technology and young people aren’t as interested in them.” Do y’all not realize how condescending this is???
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First, I think the wrong debate is being had. We shouldn’t be debating “does deterrence work or not?” But rather “will it work 100% of the time, forever? Will it ALWAYS work?” And to be fair I think some have been trying to do the latter but it’s hard to be nuanced on twitter.
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What a great example of the [not very] subtle misogyny female experts face all the time
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So there’s my take. I welcome disagreement as long as it’s not in the form of condescension, misogyny, or elitist takes about how I need more education before being allowed to have a thought. Make this space one where young people & new voices feel welcome to participate.
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Can't get over the hordes of Elon boys using someone's LinkedIn page as proof of their entirety of career and education experience. I just know y'all were business majors
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How disgusting to profit so heavily from something taken from a victim of a nuclear weapons attack/war crime. This watch belongs in the Hiroshima peace museum.
@RRAuction
do the right thing.
Watch that stopped when Hiroshima bomb detonated is up for auction via
@MailOnline
@RRAuction
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One week ago I became an aunt and godmother to the most precious baby girl. Little miss Charlotte Mackenzie already has my whole heart 🩷
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Read my newest piece for
@scientistsorg
to unpack the Sentinel overrun and interrogate the future of one of the largest nuclear weapons programs in US history. ⬇️⬇️
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Thank you to my job for bringing me to the most beautiful places 💚 (and most importantly, places with $5 ramen and $1 onigiri)
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Feeling pretty excited about getting my first hate comment 🥳 momma I MADE IT
An article that says vastly more about the author than the actual topic. There is an interesting and important debate to be had on the limits of deterrence, but this is not it.
Sad to see the nuclear disarmament community destroy itself by elevating nonsense.
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I’m sorry I promise I’ll stop soon but I just cannot get over that his sources for this claim were from RAND, the Congressional Commission on US Strategic Forces, and the National War College
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This is such a great and needed piece by
@DiasporaDiva_
and
@WilliamHartung
. So grateful for those who continue to be invaluable mentors and friends to me:
@nukestrat
,
@mattkorda
,
@BeaFihn
, and
@VincentIntondi
are some of the very best ❤️
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Excited to share I was selected as a Working Group Chair for
@BASIC_int
's
@EVN_nuclear
Policy Cycle on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons. Can't wait to get started!
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🚨Read our first Nuclear Notebook of 2024 below!!⬇️⬇️
Our latest overview and analysis of China's nuclear program. 🇨🇳
It continues to be such an honor to work with and learn from this incredible team!
@mattkorda
@nukestrat
@elianajjohns
📌 The 2024 China Nuclear Notebook is out!
China is expanding its ongoing nuclear modernization program by fielding more types and greater numbers of nuclear weapons than ever before…
@nukestrat
@mattkorda
@m_knight7
Web:
PDF:
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Cannot wait to attend this!!! The most stacked panel I’ve ever seen 🤩🤩
Join me this upcoming Thursday (March 27th) starting at 12pm ET/9AM PT for a panel titled "Breaking Chains and Banishing Bombs: The Legacy of the Intersectional Struggle for Nuclear Abolition and Black Liberation"
Register Here:
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🚨🚨Reuters now reporting a program cost of $160 billion (Bloomberg was $141 billion).
Also says new Pentagon cost estimate coming Tuesday
‼️AND reports to have seen documents revealing Pentagon asked for cost estimate of an LEP for Minuteman.
🚨Bloomberg breaks a new cost projection for the Sentinel ICBM program - now projected to be 81% higher than 2020 forecast.
An anonymous source says costs may increase to $214 million *per missile*.
SecDef Austin expected to certify the program’s continuation next week.
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I think what we’ve all learned is that if you’re going to write or talk about young peoples thoughts and actions you should probably ask them what they are first
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If you're interested in why I chose this field and how I ended up where I am, read my blog post here! ⬇️
Becoming a Nuclear Expert
Read our latest blog post by Scoville Fellow '23
@m_knight7
@FAScientists
.
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This photo is the best thing that’s ever happened to me
Five of the world's foremost experts on nuclear weapons in one photo. And five of our favorite people.
#FASAwards
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I am so excited to have had my podcast debut on
@JBWolfsthal
and
@heatherwilly
’s podcast We’re All Gonna Die Radio
@deepstateradio
to talk about the Sentinel ICBM alongside my co-guest
@fmkaplan
! Check it out on Spotify or Apple Podcasts 😊
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@peterfarsk63777
Peter we need higher salaries that keep up with inflation in order to SURVIVE not to make better decisions
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🚨🚨New
@FAScientists
Nuclear Notebook just dropped!!!
Our latest notebook for
@BulletinAtomic
covers the topic of nuclear sharing, providing some historical background and recent updates and developments!
Check it out below ⬇️
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Nothing. Imperialism has been ignored or given a pass in non-western, non-European places (read: Israel) for decades
Ok, serious question for the people proclaiming this to be a new era in the history of world politics...what precisely has changed?
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I also really don’t appreciate the sentiment that “young people aren’t interested in this field because it’s old tech and boring to us” as if the reason there aren’t more young people in the field is that our attention spans require “cooler” topics
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The gatekeeping of expertise and opportunities by those who have been in the field for decades (and in general the lack of support for young people in the field)
Nuke twitter: If you could change one thing (or more) about how things are done in our field, what would you suggest?
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🚨
@elianajjohns
and I have a new piece out for
@scientistsorg
arguing that while Russian nuclear modernization is of course a cause for concern, we're not seeing evidence to match warnings of a vast and rapid expansion. ⬇️⬇️
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Highly recommend reading my colleague Eliana’s new piece in
@inkstickmedia
- a compelling argument for reconsidering ICBMs’ place in US force structure with interesting personal and historical anecdotes along the way!
I asked my grandfather about his time as a missile crew member for the Titan II ICBMs during the Cold War. I learned about his involvement in the Damascus Accident, and it got me thinking about the need to reevaluate the role of ICBMs in today’s world...
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Felt a lot of emotions (namely anger) while writing this one, but I think it’s a super important read. Check it out if you’d like ❤️
Will Navajo miners, the proxy war in Congo, and other legacies of the Manhattan Project be left out of the upcoming "Oppenheimer" film?
@m_knight7
thinks so. Read why here:
#OppenheimerMovie
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It’s gonna be a minute, Oslo
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🚨 The Biden Administration is adding a new nuclear gravity bomb to the US arsenal: the B61-13.
Read more about the decision and the bomb itself in an
@FAScientists
analysis by
@nukestrat
and
@mattkorda
:
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Love this thread from Emma 👏👏
@gmhurley
@nytopinion
1/ Some thoughts! IF deterrence works (we can’t know for sure either way, I’ll get to this later, but spoiler alert: it doesn’t really matter) then it just shifts war onto innocent countries through proxy wars. Relying on deterrence = some lives are more important than others. 🧵
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Spot on thread by Anahita!!
the current discourse on nuke twitter has me thinking again about the problematic narrative of separation between activism and expertise
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🚨Check out this new piece by the brilliant
@elianajjohns
to learn about Russia’s new nuclear-capable submarines and other upgrades to its Pacific Fleet ⬇️⬇️
Russia is in the midst of a decades-long nuclear force modernization program intended to replace Soviet-era missiles, aircraft, and submarines with new systems.
New from
@elianajjohns
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So happy to be here! 🥰
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Lovely to see a US Representative willing to acknowledge and support the TPNW and the mission of nuclear abolition! Thank you
@RepMcGovern
Proud to speak at a special meeting of parliamentarians on the occasion of the 2nd Meeting of State Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons at the
@UN
.
It’s time for the world to eliminate nuclear weapons.
📸: Darren Ornitz
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My tattoos are a tour of the things that make me, me. Finally got one to symbolize the peace and disarmament I've dedicated my life to working toward 🤍
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"...we can no longer let momentum alone march us down a $150 billion path that makes our country, and the world, fundamentally less safe."
Appreciate
@RepAdamSmith
's challenge to the nuclear status quo in this piece.
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…agree with critique of the validity and infallibility of deterrence theory, the bottom line in this situation b/w Israel and Iran is that it is unstable and scary when a nuclear power is involved in conflict in this way, and we should address how to prevent further escalation.
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This is why I love
@inkstickmedia
🥹🤩
When I tell people that at
@inkstickmedia
, we cover national security while, as a matter of policy, accepting no funds from defense contractors, it can come off sounding like a technicality.
Here's what it means: we don't have banner ads like this :)
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First attending the
#TPNW2MSP
and now speaking the truth so many others in Washington refuse to acknowledge about Kissinger? Rep. McGovern just keeps cooking !!
Remembering all the lives Henry Kissinger destroyed with the terrible violence he unleashed in countries like Chile, Vietnam, Argentina, East Timor, Cambodia, and Bangladesh. I never understood why people revered him. I will never forgive or forget.
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Additionally, and maybe finally, the issue with the nuke field is not a lack of deterrence experts. There are plenty of y’all. I just think there’s a shift in younger generations to focus less on deterrence and strategy and more on advocacy, organizing, and disarmament.
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This accomplishment absolutely went to our heads as 👏 it 👏 should 👏
The fall 2023 and spring 2024 Scoville Fellows successfully "Beat the Bomb" in a teambuilding exercise. A night of solving puzzles, avoiding lasers, and recognizing patterns culminated in a ranking in the top 3% of players overall.
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Former high school teacher reached out to me saying a student is researching nuclear weapons and wondering if I’d be a source of info and advice for them 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹
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If we reframe the debate this way, I think it becomes a much simpler and more relevant one. We don’t need to argue over whether deterrence factored into historical cases in order to make the point that we shouldn’t rely on deterrence theory forever to prevent war. And while I…
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@MinuteofZombie
@mattkorda
@Emma_Pike_
Emma has a masters in IR and has worked at IPPNW and Lex International, among other orgs 👍 your assumption that she doesn’t have any qualifications reveals your sexism and misogyny
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The best views with the best people 🥹❤️
Introducing some of the best people in this field to the best views in Switzerland 💕
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I’m having two main issues. First, there ARE so many incredible young people working in this field. Did you not seek them out, or are they just not doing the type of work you’d prefer? Second, there could be so many more if barriers to entry in the field were removed.
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Not sure who made this but it's so powerful. An administration escorting snipers to the roof of the student union to take aim at students and faculty peacefully protesting genocide and weapons investment. Wish I could say I expected better from
@IUBloomington
but id be lying.
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A presidential candidate was just arrested for protesting.
Not in China. Not in Russia. Not in Iran. The United States
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