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E-book
Author Leah, Christine M., author.

Title The consequences of American nuclear disarmament : strategy and nuclear weapons / Christine M. Leah
Published Cham, Switzerland : Palgrave Macmillan, [2017]
©2017

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Description 1 online resource (xi, 252 pages)
Series American foreign policy in the 21st century
American foreign policy in the 21st century.
Contents Acknowledgments; Contents; Acronyms and Abbreviations ; List of Tables; Chapter 1: Nuclear Weapons: A Piece of the Peace; The Arguments for Abolition; On the Path to "Zero"; Notes; Chapter 2: Deterrence Without Nuclear Weapons?; Deterrence; General and Immediate Deterrence; Nuclear Deterrence; Political and Physical Challenges of Deterrence; Second-Strike Capability; Mutual Assured Destruction; Nuclear Superiority; Escalation, Escalation Control, Escalation Dominance; Damage Limitation; Countervalue Versus Counterforce Targeting; Extended Nuclear Deterrence; The Evolution of Precision
The Limits of Deterrence; Conclusion; Notes; Chapter 3: Deterrence Without Nuclear Warheads?; Destruction and Delivery; The Controllability of War; The Nuclear-Missile Interaction: Implications for Deterrence; Missile Deterrence Without Nuclear Warheads?; The Importance of Missile Control; Conclusion; Notes; Chapter 4: Alliances Without Nuclear Weapons? (I); Alliance Theory; Level of Reliance; Vulnerability; The Consequences of "Conventionalizing" Nuclear Alliances; Conclusion; Notes; Chapter 5: Alliances Without Nuclear Weapons? (II): The Case of the Asia-Pacific
A "Return" to Conventional Deterrence and Extended Deterrence?; The Asia-Pacific as a Test Case; Not Just Nuclear Weapons ... ; Geography and Extended Deterrence; Military Logistical Challenges; Fewer Nukes but More Conventional Forces?; Conclusion; Notes; Chapter 6: Arms Control Without Nuclear Weapons?; Concepts of Conventional Arms Control: Historical Examples; Current Regimes; The Absence of Arms Control in Asia; Conclusion; Notes; Chapter 7: Disarming the Peace?; Ceci N'est Pas "Zéro" ... ; Concepts of Nuclear Strategy and the Missile Revolution; Nuclear Weapons, Alliances, and Extended Deterrence
"Friendly" Proliferation?; Japan; South Korea; Australia; The USA; Benefits and Disadvantages of Allied Proliferation; Expanded Nuclear Sharing?; The Challenges of Conventional Arms Control; Arms Control in Asia?; Modernization, Reductions, and Disarmament ... ; Nuclear Deterrence: Should the Mystery Be Kept Alive?; Deep Reductions: Could, and Should the USA Have a "Minimum Deterrence" Posture?; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; News Reports, Institutional Publications, National Archival Sources; Index
Summary This book presents the strategic consequences of both deep nuclear reductions and complete disarmament in the United States. Christine M. Leah argues that, given the extent of nuclear weapons' influence on US strategic thinking and the implications for international security, further reductions beyond current Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START) levels may not necessarily be a prudent idea. Nuclear weapons have contributed to the avoidance of major wars between states, both lengthened and legitimized alliances, and have made arms control relatively easier to conceptualize and manage. As such, Leah argues, the mutual control of nations and weapons may become even more difficult to manage if nuclear weapons are marginalized. This book is thus about the future of nuclear weapons, geopolitics, and strategy
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Vendor-supplied metadata
Subject Nuclear disarmament -- United States
International relations.
Warfare & defence.
Diplomacy.
Globalization.
Politics & government.
POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Essays.
POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Government -- General.
POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Government -- National.
POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Reference.
Nuclear disarmament
United States
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9783319507217
3319507214