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Source: Getty

In The Media

Are Nuclear Weapons Becoming More or Less Important to Deterrence in the Emerging International Security Environment?

The way that the United States behaves regarding nuclear deterrence is vital to sustaining morale in the U.S. army and winning public support in the United States and among allied states.

Link Copied
By George Perkovich
Published on Aug 9, 2012

Source: US Stratcom

Discussing the importance of nuclear weapons to deterrence in the emerging international security environment at Stratcom's 2012 Deterrence Symposium, Carnegie's George Perkovich explained that the idea of unilateral nuclear disarmament is misleading.

The nuclear deterrence challenge faced by the United States is in relation to other nuclear armed states, explained Perkovich, adding that behaving justly is vital to sustaining morale in the U.S. army and winning public support in the United States and among allied states. "Ultimately U.S. power depends on this, which in turn affects the credibility of our deterrence," Perkovich said.

Perkovich also brought up the case of the disputed islands in the South China Sea, where U.S. and Chinese nuclear deterrence are central to potential conflict scenarios. "Is it conceivable that the United States would use nuclear weapons first in a campaign to prevent or remove Chinese forces that had already occupied these islands?" Perkovich asked.

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.

    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

George Perkovich
Japan Chair for a World Without Nuclear Weapons, Senior Fellow
George Perkovich
Nuclear PolicyNorth AmericaUnited States

Carnegie 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.

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