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Nuclear Proliferation

Nuclear Proliferation. Theo Farrell, CSI Lecture 4, 2011. Weapons of Mass Destruction. Nuclear Biological Chemical Radiological. Big bombs. Fissile material = plutonium 239 and uranium 235 Fission warhead = kilotons TNT Fusion warhead = megatons TNT. Dawn of the nuclear age.

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Nuclear Proliferation

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  1. Nuclear Proliferation Theo Farrell, CSI Lecture 4, 2011

  2. Weapons of Mass Destruction • Nuclear • Biological • Chemical • Radiological

  3. Big bombs • Fissile material = plutonium 239 and uranium 235 • Fission warhead = kilotons TNT • Fusion warhead = megatons TNT

  4. Dawn of the nuclear age ‘Anglo-Saxon science has developed a new explosive 2,000 times as destructive as any know before For all we know, we have created a Frankenstein! We must assume that with the passage of only a little time, an improved form of the new weapon we use today can be turned against us.’ NBC Radio, August 1945

  5. The nuclear revolution ‘Thus far the chief purpose of our military establishment has been to win wars. From now on its chief purpose must be to avert them. It can have almost no other useful purpose.’ Bernard Brodie (1946)

  6. Weapons of terror ‘There is an immense gulf between the atomic and hydrogen bomb. The atomic bomb, with all its terrors, did not carry us outside the scope of human control or manageable events in thought and action, in peace and war. But (with the H-bomb), the entire foundation of human affairs is revolutionized, and mankind placed in a situation both measureless and ladden with terror.’ Winston Churchill (1955)

  7. Nuclear armed states

  8. International co-operation • Partial Test Ban Treaty, 1963 • Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), 1968 • Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, 1996 • Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, 1987 • Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, under negotiation • G8 Global Partnership against Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction

  9. NPT pillars • Non-proliferation – undertake not to ‘receive, manufacture or acquire’ nukes (Art. II) – monitoring by IAEA • Disarmament – non-binding obligation on P5 (Art. VI) • Peaceful use of nuclear energy – the ‘Achilles heal’ of NPT? * Right to withdraw from NPT (Art. X)

  10. Why build nuclear weapons? • The security model (Soviet Union) • The domestic politics model (India) • The norms model (France) Scott D. Sagan, ‘Why do states build nuclear weapons?’ Int. Security 21: 3 (1996/97).

  11. Should we worry? Kenneth Waltz • Neorealism – nukes make states cautious • spread of nukes is okay Scott Sagan • Organisation theory and nuclear accidents • States cannot be trusted with nukes

  12. More reasons to worry… Emerging nuclear powers tend to have small and rudimentary nuclear forces that are: • Vulnerable to first-strike • Vulnerable to accidents • Vulnerable to unauthorised seizure

  13. Nuclear alarmism – myths • End of Cold War increased incentives for proliferation – world has now reached ‘tipping point.’ • Second Nuclear Age is less predictable and involves more complex and dangerous rivalries • Today’s ‘rogue’ states and terrorist organisations are less deterrable than Cold War rivals

  14. Iran’s Nuclear Program • IAEA in 2003 find Iran in breach of NPT • Iran halts nuc prog but Western intell agencies disagree on how long • NIE 2007: Iran’s program still stalled • US Director Nat Intell (Feb 2010): Iran able to produce weapon in next few years

  15. Nightmare scenario

  16. Israel’s track record (Iraq 1981)

  17. Indo-Pak • India: 5 nuke tests on 11 & 13 May 1998 • Pakistan: 6 nuke tests on 30 & 31 May 1998 • Indo-Pak Wars (1947-48, 1965, 1971 and 1999) and dispute over Kashmir

  18. ‘Stability/instability paradox’ • Pakistani supported terrorist attacks on Indian Parliament (Dec 2001) and Mumbai (Nov 2008) • India’s new ‘Cold Start’ military doctrine: five divisions in 96 hours • Pakistani’s ‘flexible response’ nuclear posture

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