Bøker i Weapons of Mass Destruction-serien

As states continue to pursue nuclear weaponry, nuclear testing remains an important political issue in the twenty-first century. This survey examines how and why the U.S. conducted nuclear tests from 1945 through 1963 and the resulting influence on key questions from normalization and de-normalization up to the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963.

This foundational primer offers a comprehensive analysis of the evolution and current status of weapons of mass destruction and seeks to inform and advance policy debate in ways that support international security, while also adding important connective tissue between analytical areas in the IR and historical domains that often remain separate.

The United StatesΓÇÖ commitment to non-proliferation often propels its foreign policy rhetoric. In 2002, George W. Bush framed his goal of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons within the context of the global war on terror, accusing Iran of being part of the ΓÇ£Axis of Evil.ΓÇ¥ IranΓÇÖs nuclear program was declared an intolerable threat to global peace and stability. This approach however showed the conflict between the rhetoric of good vs. evil and the need for a pragmatic and measured approach to non-proliferation in the Middle East. The book explores this divergence between the alarmist rhetoric of the Bush AdministrationΓÇÖs public diplomacy and its actual non-proliferation policy toward Iran. It shows how the two policy directions, the war on terror and negotiations over the nuclear issue, were often at odds. Further, the AdministrationΓÇÖs desire to change the regime in Iran undermined efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue. Ultimately, the policies implemented failed both to shut down IranΓÇÖs nuclear program and bring significant democratic reform within the Islamic Republic. The book also examines this legacy and how ObamaΓÇÖs approach differs or follows that of his predecessor. Lastly, the implications for non-proliferation policies beyond Iran are discussed, as nuclear proliferation remains a key concern in a Middle East plagued by instability.

This text analyzes why some states have chosen to cooperate with the U.S. on Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) while others have adopted a non-cooperative posture, evidenced by diverse levels of balancing. It discusses the politics of unipolarity, deterrence policies of the U.S. and key states, WMD proliferation, balancing, and the security dilemma.

Using a constructivist model, this study brings nuclear arms control and disarmament back into the debates on the future of Indo-Pakistani relations. Constructivism recognizes the independent impact of international norms, such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Norm, on India and Pakistan's nuclear behavior.

This book uses a public policy framework to examine how the U.S. government, and in particular the U.S. military, should address the potential use of unconventional weapons in the 21st century. It discusses past policy efforts before offering a critical review of current strategies and proposes new national framework for countering WMD.

This text analyzes Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) weapons and terrorist groups with a known interest in them. It combines weapons and policy information in one comprehensive and comparative resource for researchers and students interested in key issues in modern terrorism and international security.

Now facing an unprecedented configuration of threats, Israel's leaders must decide whether to continue their nuclear ambiguity policy and work to develop a strategic posture with a refined nuclear strategy. This book examines Israel's evolving strategy and explains how it underscores the complexity of strategic interactions in the Middle East.

This volume provides a study of the current UK nuclear program and related issues that reflect the complexity of the Trident weapons system and the changing nature of deterrence. Presenting the political, cultural, technical, and strategic aspects of Trident it provides a thoughtful overview of the UK's complex relationship with nuclear weapons.