Will the US Bomb Pakistan?

{
  "authors": [
    "George Perkovich"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "NPP",
  "programs": [
    "Nuclear Policy"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "South Asia",
    "Pakistan"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Nuclear Policy"
  ]
}

In The Media

Will the US Bomb Pakistan?

U.S. concerns about Pakistan's nuclear weapons are sometimes exaggerated; the risk of nuclear war between India and Pakistan is greater than that of terrorists gaining access to Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.

By George Perkovich

Published on Sep 27, 2011

Source: NPR

Speaking on NPR's To the Point, George Perkovich argued that worries over Pakistan's nuclear weapons are sometimes exaggerated in the United States and talked about in ways that are counterproductive. "There is a nuclear worry that I think is much greater, which is the possibility that a conflict with India will happen again," Perkovich said. He added that if India retaliates to an attack by a Pakistani terrorist group, there is a risk of military escalation that could lead to nuclear war. "The risk of nuclear war between Pakistan and India I think is well above zero," Perkovich said. He concluded that the key to stability in the region is getting “the Pakistani state apparatus not only to stop supporting groups that commit terror, but to try to turn against them."

About the Author

George Perkovich

Japan Chair for a World Without Nuclear Weapons, Senior Fellow

George Perkovich is the Japan Chair for a World Without Nuclear Weapons and a senior fellow in the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Nuclear Policy Program. He works primarily on nuclear deterrence, nonproliferation, and disarmament issues, and is leading a study on nuclear signaling in the 21^st century.

Recent Work

Paper
How to Assess Nuclear ‘Threats’ in the Twenty-First Century
- George Perkovich
Commentary
“A House of Dynamite” Shows Why No Leader Should Have a Nuclear Trigger
- George Perkovich

Nuclear Policy South Asia Pakistan

Carnegie India does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie India

Book
Violence and Development Along the India-Pakistan Border in Jammu and Kashmir
This book examines the impact of cross-border violence on communities living along the Line of Control and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Deep Pal, Surya Valliappan Krishna, Saheb Singh Chadha
Commentary
Indian Airstrikes in Pakistan: May 7, 2025
On May 7, 2025, between 1:05 and 1:30 a.m. (IST), airstrikes carried out by the Indian Air Force hit nine locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). It was codenamed Operation Sindoor.
Rudra Chaudhuri
Article
Understanding the Global Debate on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems: An Indian Perspective
This article explores the global debate on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), highlighting the convergences, complexities, and differences within and beyond the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on LAWS. It further examines India’s key position at the GGE and the probable reasons behind them.
Charukeshi Bhatt, Tejas Bharadwaj
Commentary
A Primer on Compute
This essay is the first of a three-part series that will seek to understand the considerations for building compute capacity and the different pathways to accessing compute in India. This essay delves into the meaning of compute and unpacks the various layers of the compute stack.
Aadya Gupta, Adarsh Ranjan
Commentary
On Thin Ice: Bhutan’s Diplomatic Challenge Amid the India-China Border Dispute
This piece examines the strategic implications of Bhutan’s diplomatic efforts amid its border dispute with China, highlighting the thin ice it walks on to achieve a resolution without compromising its vital relationships.
Shibani Mehta

More Work from Carnegie India

Book

Violence and Development Along the India-Pakistan Border in Jammu and Kashmir

This book examines the impact of cross-border violence on communities living along the Line of Control and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Deep Pal, Surya Valliappan Krishna, Saheb Singh Chadha

Commentary

Indian Airstrikes in Pakistan: May 7, 2025

On May 7, 2025, between 1:05 and 1:30 a.m. (IST), airstrikes carried out by the Indian Air Force hit nine locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). It was codenamed Operation Sindoor.

Rudra Chaudhuri

Article

Understanding the Global Debate on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems: An Indian Perspective

This article explores the global debate on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), highlighting the convergences, complexities, and differences within and beyond the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on LAWS. It further examines India’s key position at the GGE and the probable reasons behind them.

Charukeshi Bhatt, Tejas Bharadwaj

Commentary

A Primer on Compute

This essay is the first of a three-part series that will seek to understand the considerations for building compute capacity and the different pathways to accessing compute in India. This essay delves into the meaning of compute and unpacks the various layers of the compute stack.

Aadya Gupta, Adarsh Ranjan

Commentary

On Thin Ice: Bhutan’s Diplomatic Challenge Amid the India-China Border Dispute

This piece examines the strategic implications of Bhutan’s diplomatic efforts amid its border dispute with China, highlighting the thin ice it walks on to achieve a resolution without compromising its vital relationships.

Shibani Mehta