Nuclear Weapons as Obstacles to International Security

Bibliographic Data

ID4445179
AuthorsMarianne Hanson (0000-0002-6369-077X, The University of Queensland, corresponding author)
Year2002
Volume16
Issue3
Pages361-379
Publication date2002-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Relations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0047-1178 • E-ISSN: 1741-2862
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0047117802016003004
OpenAlexW2035704578
LanguageEN
Citations received13

This article argues that nuclear weapons serve no useful purpose in military calculations; moreover, their continued retention invites the dangers of further proliferation and of accidental use. They are thus defined here as obstacles to, rather than as facilitators of, international security. Seven reasons are presented to support this contention, including an assessment of the moral implications and the strategic limitations of nuclear weapons. Despite these limitations, and the recent commitments made by the nuclear weapon states to eliminate their arsenals, nuclear weapons remain central to the strategic doctrines of these states. Several reasons are put forward to explain why this retention continues, including the unchanging nature of strategic mindsets, the presence of vested interests, and now, in the case of the USA at least, a renewed reliance on nuclear weapons, regardless of how appropriate and effective such a strategy might be against emerging terrorist or `rogue state' threats

Accidental · Arms control · Business · Computer security · International security · International trade · Law and economics · National security · Nuclear ethics · Nuclear terrorism · Nuclear weapon · Political science · Sociology · State (computer science) · Terrorism · Computer Science · International Relations and Foreign Policy · Law · Nuclear and radioactivity studies · Nuclear Issues and Defense

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