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Cold War Arsenals

Cold War Arsenals. What are arguments in favor of nuclear weapons? Against? What are our options in dealing with nation’s attempts to arm themselves with nuclear weapons?. Options In Brief. Eliminate Nuclear Weapons Rely on Arms Control

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Cold War Arsenals

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  1. Cold War Arsenals What are arguments in favor of nuclear weapons? Against? What are our options in dealing with nation’s attempts to arm themselves with nuclear weapons?

  2. Options In Brief • Eliminate Nuclear Weapons • Rely on Arms Control • Keep Nuclear Weapons as an Essential Part of US Security Which would you choose? What are the pros and cons of each?

  3. Deterrence • Idea that countries won’t attack one another if they have nuclear weapons, (actually make world safer) • Assumption that countries and leaders make rational decisions – primary purpose is to ensure their own survival

  4. Potential Problems with Deterrence • Leaders and humans are imperfect, deterrence is not fool-proof • “Accidents happen” • Unauthorized use – stolen by criminals, terrorist groups, set off by insubordinate generals (China) – State collapse • False alarms – happened a lot in the Cold War

  5. Who Gets to Have Them? “At various times from at least as early as 1992, Osama bin Laden and others, known and unknown, made efforts to obtain the components of nuclear weapons.” -Justice Department indictment for the 1998 US embassy bombings in Africa

  6. “America remains dangerously unprepared to prevent and respond to a catastrophic attack on US soil. In all likelihood, the next attack will result in even greater casualties and widespread disruption of American lives and the economy.” -Hart-Rudman Report, Oct. 2002

  7. Terrorism • How might a terrorist acquire a nuclear weapon? • How does the threat of terrorism affect the thinking about nuclear weapons?

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