National Security final exam

Nuclear Proliferation

• Nuclear states do not want other states to get access to nuclear weapons

  • US didn’t want Soviet states to attack them

  • USSR thought US wanted to give to NATO

• Pakistan only exception — less international pressure on them

Multinational Ocean Platforms

A proposal for nuclear weapon delivery intended to show NATO's role in the nuclear process, requiring collective agreement from all members to launch.

Breakout Capability

A state in which a country has sufficient supplies to test a nuclear weapon within a specific timeframe, despite not currently possessing a weapon.

A.Q. Khan

A figure who stole nuclear information for Pakistan's program and later sold that information to Iran, Iraq, North Korea, and Libya.

"Born Nuclear"

A term referring to former Soviet states like Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Belarus that possessed nuclear weapons immediately after the collapse of the USSR.

Nuclear Regime

The rules, norms, and patterns of behavior established by the NPT that states are expected to abide by.

"Great Satan"

The term used by the Iranian regime to describe the United States, used to justify the regime's right to rule by standing up to perceived imperial control.

Risks of decapitation strikes

• Creating martyrs

• Removing the leadership structure necessary for binding negotiations

  • Defeats purpose of going to war

• Could galvanize society against you

• Drag out war

  • Nuclear warfare: worst option b/c you want to end war quickly

Risk of nuclear development

Can lead to estrangement from global economy

Example of Iraq creating fear

India opposition to NPT

• Wanting to lead unaligned states instead of adhering to East/West divide

• Tradition of peace (Gandhi)

  • Moral standing of nuclear weapons

India-Pakistan nuclear relations

• China begins relations w/ Pakistan b/c of border dispute w/ India

• India involves itself in civil war

  • Split into Bangladesh makes Pakistan weaker —> India can balance against each other

  • Pakistan feels India overstepped

• India tests small nuclear device

Goals of Indian non-aligned movement

• Control subcontinent

• Counterbalance China

• Expand power outside South Asia

Weaknesses of Pakistan’s geography

• Difficult for gov to have centralized control

• Concentrated along Indian border (river)

• No strategic depth

  • Want alliance w/ Afghanistan so they can retreat there

• Conflict over Jammu and Kashmir hinders economic development

Madrasas in Pakistan

Create Muslim identity to unify country thru identity not shared w/ India

Reasons to pursue nuclear weapons

• Security (US in WWII)

• Deterrence

• Status & prestige — only true until NPT set new norms

Realism and NATO

Would predict an alliance would form to counter-balance but didn’t happen

Expected utility

Benefits you think you get from a decision, diff. for each country

Brody and nuclear deterrence

• Nuclear weapons only effective as deterrent

• Minimal deterrence: smallest amount needed to scare enemy

  • Opposite of escalation dominance

First strike capability

Ability to launch a strike that destroys enemy’s ability to retaliate

Second strike capability

Ability to respond to a surprise strike with nuclear weapons

1960s/70s US + USSR nuclear strategy

• Focused on submarines for nuclear strikes

  • Anti-sub tech as the strongest defense strategy

• By 70s, one sub could have missiles for 140 targets

Multiple Aimpoint System

• Missile silos w/ 23 points to reduce chance USSR could take it down

  • Would need 2 warheads for every missile site —> would use 46 to take out 10 US MERVs

• Nuclear system in movement

• USSR wouldn’t be able to attack urban areas

• Objected to for cost, environmental and community concerns

Hot Line agreement

• Establishing communications after Bay of Pigs using telegraph

• Before, telegrams and back channels w/ journalists

Partial Test Ban Treaty

• Can only test nuclear weapons underground or in ocean

• Addressing environmental impacts

US/USSR nuclear defensive capabilities

• Trying to build things like interceptor sites

• More expensive than expanding offensive capability

  • USSR can spend more on military

• Developing defense requires limiting offensive capabilities

  • START/STAR treaties

  • No concessions, just limiting future possibilities

Nonproliferation Treaty

• Give up building weapons

• Allow IAA inspectors

• In return, can develop nuclear power

  • Other countries can give you tech for economic advancement

• No transfer of weapons tech

• States w/ would agree to conversations to reduce (not binding)

• Categorized countries into those testing weapons by the end of 1969 and all others

  • India viewed this as discriminatory and did not sign

• Would meet every 5 years, developed Additional Protocols