The Tradition of Non-Use of Nuclear Weapons

ISBN-10: 0804761310

ISBN-13: 9780804761314

Cloth $75.00

 

About The Book:

 

Since the Hiroshima and Nagasaki attacks, no state has unleashed nuclear weapons. What explains this? According to the author, the answer lies in a prohibition inherent in the tradition of non-use, a time-honored obligation that has been adhered to by all nuclear states—thanks to a consensus view that use would have a catastrophic impact on humankind, the environment, and the reputation of the user.

 

The book offers an in-depth analysis of the nuclear policies of the U.S., Russia, China, the UK, France, India, Israel, and Pakistan and assesses the contributions of these states to the rise and persistence of the tradition of nuclear non-use. It examines the influence of the tradition on the behavior of nuclear and non-nuclear states in crises and wars, and explores the tradition's implications for nuclear non-proliferation regimes, deterrence theory, and policy. And it concludes by discussing the future of the tradition in the current global security environment.

 

Review:

 

"This is one of the best books on nuclear policy since George and Smoke's classic, Deterrence in American Foreign Policy. It is a major and original contribution to our theoretical understanding and our empirical knowledge of nuclear weapons." —John A. Vasquez, Thomas B. Mackie Scholar in International Relations, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

"An impressive and nuanced assessment, at once wide-ranging and focused." —John Mueller, Professor of political science at Ohio State University and author of the forthcoming Atomic Obsession

"The most astonishing event of the twentieth century did not occur: no nuclear weapons used in warfare since the two on Japan in august, 1945. Here is the first thorough history of the evolution of that powerful, completely unpredicted, tradition, with analysis of how to maintain and strengthen it." —Thomas Schelling, Nobel Laureate in Economics and Distinguished University Professor, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland.

To buy this book http://www.sup.org/book.cgi?id=16942

Nuclear Proliferation in South Asia: Crisis Behaviour and the Bomb

This edited volume explores competing perspectives on the impact of nuclear weapons proliferation on the South Asian security environment.

The spread of nuclear weapons is one of the world’s foremost security concerns. The effect of nuclear weapons on the behaviour of newly nuclear states, and the potential for future international crises, are of particular concern. As a region of burgeoning economic and political importance, South Asia offers a crucial test of proliferation’s effects on the crisis behaviour of newly nuclear states. This volume creates a dialogue between scholars who believe that nuclear weapons have stabilized the subcontinent, and those who believe that nuclear weapons have made South Asia more conflict prone. It does so by pairing competing analyses of four major regional crises: the 1987 "Brasstacks" crisis, the Indo-Pakistani crisis of 1990, the 1999 Kargil war, which occurred after the nuclear tests; and the 2001–2 Indo-Pakistani militarized standoff. In addition, the volume explores the implications of the South Asian nuclear experience for potential new nuclear states such as North Korea and Iran.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction Sumit Ganguly and S. Paul Kapur 2. A Dangerous Exercise: Brasstacks as Non-Nuclear Near War Varun Sahni 3. Brasstacks: Prudently Pessimistic John H. Gill 4. Nuclear Optimism and the 1990 India-Pakistan Crisis Manjeet S. Pardesi 5. Crisis and Opportunity: The 1990 Nuclear Crisis in South Asia Karthika Sasikumar 6. The Kargil War: An Optimistic Assessment Devin T. Hagerty 7. The Kargil War and Nuclear Deterrence Neil Joeck 8. A War to End a War: The Causes and Outcomes of the 2001–2 India-Pakistan Crisis Praveen Swami 9. To War or Not to War: The India-Pakistan Crisis of 2001–2 Kanti Bajpai 10. North Korea’s Nuclearization and the Fallout from the Subcontinent Andrew Scobell and Michael R. Chambers 11. The Implications of a Nuclear-Armed Iran in Light of South Asia’s Nuclear Experience Devin T. Hagerty.

Sumit Ganguly is a professor of political science, holds the Rabindranath Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations, and is director of research of the Center on American and Global Security at Indiana University, Bloomington. He is the author, co-author, editor or co-editor of 15 books on South Asia.

The Long Shadow: Nuclear Weapons and Security in 21st Century Asia

Publisher: Stanford: Stanford University Press
Publication Date: 2008
ISBN: 978-0-8047-6087-4
Binding: paper
Pages: 592
Available from: Stanford University Press

The Long Shadow is the first comprehensive, systematic examination of the roles and implications of nuclear weapons in the dramatically different post-Cold War security environment. Leading experts investigate the roles and salience of nuclear weapons in the national security strategies of twelve countries and the ASEAN states, and their implications for security and stability in a broadly defined Asian security region that involves the Middle East. The study also investigates the prospects for nuclear terrorism in Asia.

A chief conclusion of the study is that nuclear weapons influence national security strategies in fundamental ways and that deterrence continues to be the dominant role and strategy for the employment of nuclear weapons. Offensive and defensive strategies may increase in salience but will not surpass the deterrence function. Another major conclusion is that although there could be destabilizing situations, on balance, nuclear weapons have reinforced security and stability in the Asian security region by assuaging national security concerns, strengthening deterrence and the status quo, and preventing the outbreak and escalation of major hostilities.

As nuclear weapons will persist and cast a long shadow on security in Asia and the world, it is important to reexamine and redefine "old" ideas, concepts, and strategies as well as develop "new" ones relevant to the contemporary era. In line with this, the global nuclear order should be constructed anew based on present realities.

Review

"I know of no other book about nuclear weapons and international security produced since the end of the Cold War that has the breadth of The Long Shadow. It combines a reconsideration of key strategic concepts and policies with a remarkably comprehensive survey of countries from the Middle East through East Asia whose nuclear status, aspirations, or potential will shape the Asian security order in the twenty-first century."

--Avery Goldstein, Professor and Chair,
Political Science Department, University of Pennsylvania

"An important book in understanding the roles and implications of nuclear weapons in a new strategic era. A remarkable panel of authors presents a penetrating, clearly written analysis and prognosis of nuclear weapons in the national security strategies of twelve nations in the broadly defined Asian region that includes the Middle East with key historical and comparative insights offered by the editor. Every reader will find a wealth of history and interpretation that is available for the first time."

--Thomas Schelling, 2005 Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics
and Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland

"Like Alagappa's earlier volumes, this book is a major contribution to understanding Asian security. There is nothing like it in scope or quality on the subject of nuclear weapons in Asia. Virtually every country in Asia is analyzed from a common perspective. The editor's analytical chapters are original and provocative."

--Patrick Morgan, Tierney Chair,
Peace & Conflict, University of California, Irvine

"A well-rounded, comprehensive analysis of the roles and implications of nuclear weapons in the Asian security region. In light of the growing importance of Asian security issues, this book will be a valuable resource."

--Charles Glaser, Professor and Deputy Dean,
The Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago

Contents

Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons

Pakistan is a vitally important country in the contemporary global political system. It is a de facto nuclear state, and a pivotal country in the War on Terror. This book provides a comprehensive study of a nuclear-armed Pakistan, investigating the implications of its emergence as a nuclear weapons state.

Setting out the historical background of Pakistani nuclear development, the book examines the lessons for proliferation that can be drawn from the Pakistan case. It explains the changes and continuities of Pakistan’s nuclear policy, assessing its emerging force posture and the implications for Pakistani, South Asian and global security. It also considers the extent to which Pakistan can be said to have a nuclear doctrine, the Pakistani nuclear command and control system, and the relationship between Pakistan and the Non-Proliferation regime. Addressing the issue of whether Pakistan should be viewed as a proliferator, and the implications of a nuclear Pakistan for global terrorism, Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons is an important study of all the major issues surrounding Pakistan’s emergence as a nuclear power.

Bhumitra Chakma lectures in War and Security Studies in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Hull. He specialises in South Asian and global nuclear politics and ethnicity and nationalism studies. He is the author of Strategic Dynamics and Nuclear Weapons Proliferation in South Asia (2004), and has published widely in international journals, such as Modern Asian Studies, Asian Security, Asian Survey, Identity, Culture and Politics: an afro-asian dialogue etc.

• ISBN: 978-0-415-40871-4
• Binding: Hardback
• Published by: Routledge
• Publication Date: 13th August 2008
• Pages: 190

Minimum Deterrence and India’s Nuclear Security

In this book, a leading authority on India’s nuclear program offers an informed and thoughtful assessment of India’s nuclear strategy. He shows that the country’s nuclear-strategic culture is generally in accord with the principle of minimum deterrence, but is sometimes inconsistent and has a tendency to drift into a more open-ended process. He addresses areas of concern, notably the relationship between minimum deterrence and subnuclear conflict, the threat from nuclear terrorism, and the special challenges nuclear weapons pose for a democratic society.

About the author

Rajesh M. Basrur is Director of the Centre for Global Studies in Mumbai, India. He has been a visiting fellow at Sandia National Laboratories, the Brookings Institution, and the Henry L. Stimson Center.

Security and South Asia: Ideas, Institutions and Initiatives

• ISBN: 978-0-415-40106-7
• Binding: Hardback
• Published by: Routledge India
• Publication Date: 3rd August 2006
• Pages: 256

 About the Book

Stephen Philip Cohen can rightly be called the doyen of South Asian security analysis, especially traditional security concerns in the region and advocacy on US foreign policy.

The contributors to the volume have all, at different at different points in time, been Cohen’s students, and are now well-known scholars in their own right. Broadly dividing Cohen’s work into categories, the contributors deal with the following issues:

• how security is understood and how important strategic relationships are framed
• approaches to and choices made in the areas of military structure, arms production, and investment in science and technology
• how and why civil society groups are mobilized towards political ends—specifically looking at ethnic mobilization in diaspora communities, non-official initiatives for peace in South Asia, and the role of state and non-state actors in disaster management
• the role of the army.

The essays reflect a view of security as something people choose to make for themselves through an exercise of agency that is rooted in the realm of ideas.

Table of Contents

Introduction Swarna Rajagopalan 1. Stephen Philip Cohen, the Teacher Shonali Sardesai 2. Stephen Cohen: Academic, Advisor, and Institution Builder Amit Gupta 3. Steve Cohen’s Contribution to American Policy-making Sumit Ganguly 4. Securing Rama’s World Swarna Rajagopalan 5. Indian Strategic Culture and the Problem of Pakistan Kanti Bajpai 6. The Indian Army and the Problem of Military Change Sunil Dasgupta 7. Same as it Ever Was? India’s Arms Production Efforts Amit Gupta 8. Ideas and Technology Policy Dinshaw Mistry 9. Diaspora Populations, the Internet and Ethnopolitical Mobilisation Kavita Khory 10. Citizens’ Initiatives in South Asia: Lessons from the Indo-Pak Conflict Chetan Kumar 11. Disasters in India: Patterns of Institutional Response C V Raghavulu.